Surname Gaiss - Meaning and Origin
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Gaiss: What does the surname Gaiss mean?
The surname Gaiss is of German-Jewish origin, derived from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew word 'gosis' meaning “convert”. It was common for Jews in central and Eastern Europe to adopt Gaiss as a surname as a sign of their acceptance into their Christian communities.
In some cases, members of a Jewish family might adopt a version of "Gaiss" if another family member had already taken it to emphasize their similarity. This family name was later adopted by families of Czech, Lithuanian and Ukrainian origin, and has now spread across Europe and the United States.
The spelling variants of Gaiss are Gays, Gause, Gauss, and Gaizers. Gaiss is a rare surname today, with no more than 1000 people in the whole world bearing the name. It is most common across Eastern European countries and in Germany, and especially strong in Hungary and Romania. The surname is not connected to any noble family or known for any interesting historical connections, but instead is seen as a sign of a family’s acceptance and integration into a local Christian community.
The name Gaiss is derived from Hebrew and connects families living in Europe today to a long and complex Jewish history, and ultimately to the ancient Biblical lands of Judaism. It is a reminder of the struggle and survival of European Jewry and their families, and of their devotion to their faith and their struggles to assimilate into foreign societies.
Order DNA origin analysisGaiss: Where does the name Gaiss come from?
The last name Gaiss is most commonly found in Germany, as it is a German surname. The Gaiss surname is derived from the old German word “Gaise”, meaning goose. It appears to have initially been used as a nickname for somebody with a ‘goose-like’ gait, or a person who tended geese.
There is evidence to suggest that the Gaiss surname exists in other countries, too. In the United States, the Gaiss surname is most commonly found in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. In the United Kingdom, it is reported to be most common in Scotland. In the rest of Europe, it is mainly found in Austria and Switzerland.
But regardless of where people with this surname live, Gaiss is an uncommon name; it’s not among the top 200 surnames in whatever country. The Gaiss name is still a small minority in the global population, but it can be found in many places around the world.
Variations of the surname Gaiss
Gaiss is a German surname with several variants, spellings, and derivatives, most of which are found in Germany.
One of the most common variants of this name is Gaß, which is an authorized alteration of Gaiss. This variant is primarily found in the south of Germany, in places such as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
Another common variant is Gaish, which is mainly found in Romania. It is believed to have derived from the German surname Gaiss although some argue that it originated from a Yiddish surname.
Gais and Geiss are two other variants which are both much less common. They are found in Germany and Austria.
Other derivatives of Gaiss include Gäßler, Gaßler, Gaßner, and Gaßmann. Gaßner is the most common of these variants and is mainly found in Austria. All of these surnames are variations of Gaiss and carry a similar meaning: a person or family who lived near a street, path, or way.
Finally, there are two more distant variants, Gayse and Geis, both also found in Germany and Austria.
In total, there are at least 9 known variants of the German surname Gaiss. These variants vary in popularity, but all are relatively rare.
Famous people with the name Gaiss
- Georg Gaiss, German politician
- Janice Gaiss, American actress
- Lars Gaiss, German ice hockey player
- Mathieu Gaiss, French neurologist and psychiatrist
- Johannes Gaiss, Austrian tennis player
- Wilma Gaiss, Colombian model
- André Gaiss, Brazilian poet and photographer
- Hans Gaiss, German musician
- Marlies Gaiss, Austrian sports anchor
- Peter Gaiss, American racing driver