Surname Großschmidt - Meaning and Origin
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Großschmidt: What does the surname Großschmidt mean?
The last name Großschmidt is of German origin. It is composed of two distinct parts: 'Groß' and 'schmidt'. 'Groß' is derived from the Middle High German word 'groz'/'gros', meaning 'large' or 'great'. 'Schmidt' is derived from the Middle High German word 'schmide', meaning 'smith', which is a tradesman specializing in metalwork.
Combining these two parts, the surname Großschmidt is interpreted as descriptive of those who are of 'large smith' origin. This can be taken to mean either a blacksmith of great skill, strength, or prominence; or one who engages in large-scale metalwork.
The surname appears to have first emerged during the early medieval period, when many inhabitants of the Germanic regions adopted hereditary surnames. These were derived from factors such as occupation, physical attributes, and socio-economic status. By the nineteenth century, the surname had been widely adopted throughout the Germanic regions of Central Europe.
Today, Großschmidt is a relatively common last name, with estimated numbers of bearers of the surname living in Germany numbering over 7,700, and numbers of bearers living in Austria reaching over 1,100. In North America, Großschmidt is much less common, but is still encountered in small but significant numbers.
Order DNA origin analysisGroßschmidt: Where does the name Großschmidt come from?
The last name Großschmidt is common in Germany today. It means “big Smith” and is a combination of “groß”, big, and “Schmidt”, a common German surname.
In Germany, Großschmidt is mainly found in areas with higher populations. Notable cities with larger populations of Großschmidt include Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Leipzig, Munich, and Dortmund.
The surname is also found in other European countries such as Austria and Switzerland. It can also be found in other parts of the world such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, where there are large German-speaking populations.
The frequency of the last name Großschmidt varies across Germany, but it is a relatively common name. According to a 2019 surname study, it was the 180th most common surname among Germans, with an estimated 22,000 people having that name.
Most Großschmidt originate from the German region of Prussia, a German-speaking region that was part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1919. This likely accounts for why the surname is more commonly found today in Germany than other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Großschmidt
The surname Großschmidt is of German origin and is derived from the words “groß” meaning “large” and “schmidt” meaning “smith”. This surname is also related to other German varieties, such as Grossschmidt, Grosskreutz, Gruesser,Grasser and Grossekreutz.
The variants and surname spellings of Großschmidt include Grossschmidt, Grosskreutz, Grosser, Grasser and Grossekreutz. For example, Grossschmidt and Grosskreutz are the most popular variants of this surname, primarily used by families living in Germany.
The different spellings of these variant surnames might also originate from the same family, however, this is not certain. For instance, Grossschmidt, Grosskreutz, Gruesser and Grasser are likely to have started off as the same family, as the spellings are similar and the meanings are usually related to smithing.
In some cases, a family might have evolved the surname over time, leading to various changed spellings and surnames. For example, the family of John Grosser, which was originally spelled Grossschmidt, has now evolved to the Grosser surname.
Although many of these surnames are related, it would be difficult to trace back family histories to an exact family line without a significant amount of research.
Thus, while Großschmidt is a German surname of many variants and spellings, tracing its exact family history requires a significant amount of research.
Famous people with the name Großschmidt
- Katrin Großschmidt: German women's national soccer team player.
- Adelheid Großschmidt: German film and television actress.
- Wolfgang Großschmidt: German author and historian
- Uwe Großschmidt: German handball player
- Karlheinz Großschmidt: German basketball player
- Lothar Großschmidt: German mathematician and writer
- Heidi Großschmidt: German actress and director
- Ernst Großschmidt: German ski mountaineer
- Gertrud Großschmidt: German swimmer
- Ulrich Großschmidt: German chess master