Surname Griesmayer - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'G'
Griesmayer: What does the surname Griesmayer mean?
The last name Griesmayer is a German surname originating from Bavaria. The name is derived from the Middle High German “grioz mere,” which literally means “grey marshland.” Its historical meaning is likely to be related to the politics and culture of Bavaria during the Middle Ages.
The root of the name Griesmayer comes from the Old German word “greise,” meaning “gray.” The element of “mayer” means “mayor” in Medieval German. This is because Griesmayer originally referred to those who fulfilled administrative functions in the town and surrounding villages, such as maintaining records, collecting taxes, and preparing boundary markers.
The Griesmayer surname is still quite common in Germany today. The name may have spread to different parts of Europe, the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, and beyond as emigrants relocated and changed their name to fit their new home.
In modern times, the Griesmayer name is arguably most known for its association with prominent Austrian composer Anton Griesmayer, as well as Catholic painter Teresia Griesmayer-Vogl. Both have made meaningful and lasting contributions to their respective fields of art.
People with the last name Griesmayer are typically part of a tight-knit family, and are proud to carry on the name’s legacy. Its symbolic meaning of hard work and dedication likely still holds true today among those who proudly bear the Griesmayer surname.
Order DNA origin analysisGriesmayer: Where does the name Griesmayer come from?
The last name Griesmayer is thought to have Germanic or old Swiss roots. In addition to Germany and Switzerland, the last name Griesmayer is most common today in Austria, where approximately 1000 people bear this name. In the United States, the last name Griesmayer is found predominantly in Texas, with the majority of appearances in the cities of Houston and Dallas. According to the 1990 U.S. Census, Griesmayer was the 12,620th most common last name in the United States.
The name Griesmayer is more common in Austria than its other Germanic and Swiss counterparts due to the country’s once large population of ethnic German-speaking settlers and residents. In earlier times, it was not uncommon for those bearing the last name Griesmayer to have migrated from countries such as Germany and Switzerland, while others remained in Austria, creating a small but still significant numbers of people with the last name Griesmayer living in the country.
In the United States, Griesmayer is not found with great frequency, but it is present in small numbers in many of the country's greatest cities. While Houston features the most occurrences of the last name Griesmayer, other places of note include the cities of Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas. In addition, there are a few people with the last name Griesmayer living scattered throughout the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast regions of the United States as well.
In sum, the last name Griesmayer is most commonly found today in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States, particularly in Houston, Texas and other states.
Variations of the surname Griesmayer
The surname Griesmayer has a few variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variant of Griesmayer is Griessmayer, which swaps a single "e" for the double "e" in Griesmayer. Another spelling is Greismayer, where the "i" is replaced with an "e".
There are several different surnames of the same origin as Griesmayer, including Griesmeier, Griesmair, Greismiller, Griesmüller, Griesmaier, Griessel, Griese, and Griesemann.
Griesmayer is an Austrian name derived from the old German term “Griosmair”, which means “snake charmer”. Additionally, the word Griesme refers to the color grey and is believed to have been added to the name to indicate a particular family’s grey-haired members.
Griesmayer is also related to the surnames Griesinger, Griesshaber, Grieshofer, and Griesham. All of these surnames are derived from old German words describing a particular trade, such as the craftsman Griesshaber, which means “wire-drawer”.
Various spellings of Griesmayer can also be found in Germany. For example, it is spelled Grismeier in some parts of Germany, Griessmeyer in others, and Grissmeyer in some other regions.
In some cases, the "er" at the end of Griesmayer is replaced with an "en" to create Griesmayen. It is also possible to find various other surnames of the same origin, with a few different spellings.
Overall, Griesmayer is a surname of Austrian origin, and variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Griessmayer, Greismayer, Griesmeier, Griesmair, Greismiller, Griesmüller, Griesmaier, Griessel, Griese, Griesemann, Griesinger, Griesshaber, Grieshofer, Griesham, Grismeier, Griessmeyer, Grissmeyer, and Griesmayen.
Famous people with the name Griesmayer
- Gregor Griesmayer: A German professional darts player competing in World Darts Federation and Professional Darts Corporation competitions since 2013.
- Andreas Griesmayer: An Austrian-born composer who has composed both contemporary and classical works. His pieces can be heard in many different contexts from films and concerts to theatrical projects.
- Anja Griesmayer: A German actress and theatre director. She has acted in film, television, and stage productions including the popular German TV show Bright Blue Weightless Sky.
- Karl-Heinz Griesmayer: A German sculptor known for his figurative and architectural sculptures. His works are largely made from bronze and brass and display his great attention to detail.
- Matthias Griesmayer: A German composer and conductor who has held posts in a number of German opera houses. His compositions have featured in concerts across Germany and abroad.
- Jakob Griesmayer: An Austrian actor on film and television. He is best known for his role in the German television series Bretzeln, Bier und Betrug.
- Friedrich Griesmayer: An Austrian chess Grandmaster who won the Austrian championship in 2006 and 2013. He participated in multiple FIDE World Chess Championships throughout his career.
- Uwe Griesmayer: A German actor and director who has worked both onscreen and offstage. He has had roles in films such as Goodbye Lenin and the TV series Berlin, I Love You.