Surname Giesey - Meaning and Origin
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Giesey: What does the surname Giesey mean?
The last name Giesey is of German origin, deriving from the personal name Giesel, which is itself a diminutive of the name Gisela. The name Gisela is made up of two elements. "Gisil" meaning "pledge" or "hostage", and "beraht" meaning "bright". Therefore, the surname could be interpreted to mean “descendant or relative of a bright pledge.” It is important to note that surname meanings often developed from nicknames or descriptive terms in the Middle Ages, and may not necessarily reflect the occupation or status of a person's ancestors. Like many surnames that were derived from the names of a type of occupation or person, it was initially derived from the profession of the original bearer. A look at early historical records of this surname in Germany reveals it appearing in various areas and several forms, indicating different original family lines. As families moved around, the name would have taken on regional variations. Today, individuals with the surname Giesey can be found in several countries around the world, including the United States, due in large part to German migration.
Order DNA origin analysisGiesey: Where does the name Giesey come from?
The surname Giesey is of German origin, derived from the personal name Giesel, a diminutive of the old German personal name Giselbert. It might also be related to the Middle High German word "giesen" means ‘to pour’. Thus, it may represent a metonymic occupational name for a caster of metal.
As with many surnames, where it is common today can be varied due to migration and population movements over the centuries. However, data suggests that the surname Giesey is most prevalent in the United States today, specifically in the states of Pennsylvania and Ohio. This pattern is in line with the larger immigration pattern of German people to the U.S during the 18th and 19th centuries. They predominantly settled in the Midwest or Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Nonetheless, it should be noted that the Giesey surname is not exceedingly common even in these areas.
Variations of the surname Giesey
The surname Giesey likely originates from Germany and may have different spellings and variants including Giese, Gies, Geise, Geis, Gieser, Gießen, Geiser, Giesen, Gieseken, and Giesecke. Variants may also include names that share the same root, e.g., Giebel (meaning 'gable' or 'peak') in German, which signifies an individual who lived in a house with a noticeable gable, or by a sign with a large gable.
The name seems to come from the Middle Low German “giesen,” meaning to water or pour—an occupational name for someone who irrigated fields. Another possible explanation could be that it was a locational surname for individuals from places named Giesen in Germany.
Spelling variations can occur due to a multitude of reasons like changes in languages over time, translation between languages, and phonetic spelling from immigration records. Surnames also often changed to fit the culture or language of a country the family moved to, such as when German families immigrated to English-speaking countries.
Turning to surnames sharing the same origin, if Giesey indeed evolved from an occupation, the surname Gießer (German for 'caster') could be of the same origin. Or if it derived from a location, it could be associated with surnames that originated from towns or regions in Germany such as Giessen or Giesen.
Famous people with the name Giesey
- Henry F. Giesey: Former Chief Executive Officer of Estee Lauder
- Dr. Frederick Giesey: Law professor and historian
- Carl Edward Giesey: Jazz musician
- Mark Giesey: Singer/songwriter
- Joyce Giesey: Writer
- Joseph Giesey: Former Congressman
- Paul Giesey: Professor at Institute of Social Sciences at École polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
- Patrick Giesey: Actor
- John Giesey: Choreographer/Dancer
- Carl Rudolph Giesey: Former principal of the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus