Surname Niss - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'N'
Niss: What does the surname Niss mean?
Niss is an English surname, derived from an ancient Norse name. The meaning of the name Niss is derived from the Old Norse words “nís” and “nísi”, which both mean “corner” or “niche”. This could suggest that the original bearer of this name lived in a corner of land or a section of a village.
The surname Niss was most likely created by a person who lived in a place where they had a stated role or responsibility. This might have included a local law enforcement officer, a landowner, or a craftsman. The fact that the name originated in the north suggests that it may be associated with the Viking settlers who travelled to England in the 9th and 10th centuries.
The last name Niss is not especially common, but it is found in the United Kingdom, the United States, and elsewhere. In 2021, 227 people with the last name Niss were living in England and Wales, although the origin of that name likely dates back centuries before that.
The surname Niss has likely evolved over time, and some people with this last name may use nicknames or shortened versions of their full name. This is particularly true in some Scandinavian countries, which also have some of the same traditional roots as the name Niss.
Order DNA origin analysisNiss: Where does the name Niss come from?
The last name Niss is an uncommon surname found primarily among Jewish communities. It is believed to have originated with the Nissim family name (also spelled Nessim, Nissem, or Neissim), which referred to descendants of the priestly families of Tiberias and Jerusalem in the 16th century.
Jews of Sephardic heritage primarily living in Israel and large parts of Europe (Spain, Holland, Belgium, the UK, France, etc.) are believed to be the main carriers of this surname. It is also found in other parts of the world including North and South America, Australia, South Africa and India.
In the United States, Niss is the 5,474th most common last name, making up 0.0005% of the population. Recent census data indicates the Niss surname is most prevalent in California where it can be found in 1 in every 350,000 people. It is also prevalent in New Jersey, New York, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
In Israel, the Niss surname is more common, representing about 0.01% of the population. Large Jewish communities in cities like Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem and other smaller towns are likely to have higher concentrations of people carrying the last name.
Overall, Niss is a rare surname in most parts of the world but it is generally more prevalent in Jewish communities, particularly in certain countries like the United States and Israel.
Variations of the surname Niss
The surname Niss is believed to have multiple variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These are listed below, accompanied by brief descriptions of the various origins and derivations.
In Northern Europe, the surname Niss can be derived from Old Norse elements 'nefs' meaning mountain, or 'nös' meaning promontory.
In Germany, the name is frequently seen spelled as Nöss, and is thought to originate as a local form of the name Nice, which comes from the Latin 'Nicius' meaning victory.
The family name is recorded as Niese in German records. This version of the name is believed to come from an old Germanic personal name Nisa, which is derived from the Latin 'nidus', meaning nest.
In Poland and Ukraine, the surname Niss is considered to have been derived from 'Niwinski', which translates to 'son of Niwe'. Niwe is an old Polish personal name derived from st. Magnus, a historical figure who lived in the first century.
In Denmark, where the surname is most widely seen, the surname is believed to be a version of the Norse name 'Nis', which comes from the Old Norse elements 'nis' meaning courage, and 'vidr', the pronoun for 'wood'. Danish records also show the spelling of the name as Nissen, derived from the Old Norse 'Ns' meaning Norway.
Another version of the surname can be found in England, where the name is often seen spelled as Nissen. This is a patronymic version of the surname, derived from the Old Norse 'Ns', meaning 'son of Ni'.
All versions of the surname Niss come from different historical sources, and each version has its own unique origin and derivation. While it is unclear how the various spellings and surnames all share a common origin, it is likely that they are all derived from Northern European personal names, or locations.
Famous people with the name Niss
- Gary Niss: Producer of the Impact Wrestling wrestling program
- Sarah Niss: Singer, songwriter and recording artist based in Northern California
- Lucas Niss: British Actor
- Joakim Niss: Swedish professional footballer and athlete
- Fabian Niss: German footballer currently playing for SSV Ulm
- Elin Niss: Professional dancer and choreographer from Gothenburg
- Karin Niss: Swedish entrepreneur and former hairdresser
- Henrik Niss: Danish actor and theatre director
- Jeanette Niss: Danish TV personality and makeup artist
- Nils Niss: Norwegian artist and sculptor