Surname Giesbers - Meaning and Origin
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Giesbers: What does the surname Giesbers mean?
The last name Giesbers is of Dutch origin and likely to have originated from a village in the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands. It is derived from the Dutch word ‘Giesen’ which means ‘from the sandy land’. This points to the geographic origins of the surname Giesbers and the fact that the family are likely to have come from a rural and agricultural background.
Historically, the Giesbers were likely to have been farmers or landowners who worked the land to make their living. Agriculture was a large part of life in the Netherlands in the Middle Ages, and it is possible that the Giesbers had family holdings in the village before the start of the 20th century. The surname itself was established and first recorded in the area during the 16th century.
Today, Giesbers is a well-established surname in the Netherlands, and many descendants still live in the North Brabant region. Although it is difficult to trace living members of the Giesbers family as records of births, deaths, and marriages are scant, there are some records in Dutch archives which allow for a possible genealogy search.
In addition to the Netherlands, there are also Giesbers living in many countries across the world, including the United States, Canada and Australia. These descendants of the original family likely left the Netherlands in search of greater opportunity to make a living and pursue a better life.
Order DNA origin analysisGiesbers: Where does the name Giesbers come from?
The last name Giesbers is most commonly found within the Netherlands today. It is one of the 30,000 most commonly found last names here, though the name is also found in parts of Germany, Belgium, France, and even the United States of America.
First appearing in Dutch records of the Middle Ages, the Giesbers surname has many variant spellings, including Giesberts, Gijsbers, and Gijsberts. In the Netherlands today, it is estimated that there are a few hundred people bearing the Giesbers surname.
Giesbers is a patronymic surname, meaning that it was derived from the first name of a father. In this case, Giesber was a first name and anyone with this name was meant to be the son of Giesber. There is no single place of origin for this surname, but it is thought to be of Dutch and/or Germanic origin.
Today, the Giesbers name is usually seen in the Netherlands, but it is spread far throughout the world, including to the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries. This is likely due to the large emigration from the Netherlands in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Variations of the surname Giesbers
The surname Giesbers has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, including Giesbers, Giesberts, Geesbers, Geesberts, Giesbert, Geebers, Geeberts, Giebers, Gieberts, Gysberts, Geysbers, Geysbert, Gehze, Gehzemeier, Geezmei, Giesbrecht, Gieshert, and Gisbert.
Giesbers, Giesberts, Geesbers, Geesberts, Giesbert, Geebers, Geeberts, Giebers, Gieberts, Gysberts, and Geysbers are all derived from the same surname and were likely used interchangeably in the Middle Ages. Giesbrecht, Gieshert, and Gisbert are more modern versions of the same name and were used in Germany in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The more modern German spellings, Gehzemeier and Geezmei, are current variants of the same surname.
Each of these surname variations share the same meaning: “follower of the Lord.” The derivation is from the Dutch and German words “giesb” or “giese” which mean “lord” or “master.” Giesbers, Giesberts, Geesbers, Geesberts, Giesbert, Geebers, Geeberts, Giebers, Gieberts, Gysberts, Geysbers, and Geysbert all come from this etymology.
Giesbrecht, Gieshert, and Gisbert, however, have a slightly different meaning and are thought to have originated from the Old High German words “gisil” or “gisl” which meant “pledge” or “hostage” and “berht” meaning “shining” or “bright.” In other words, these variants of the Giesbers surname were likely used to indicate someone who had pledged themselves to the service of their lord.
Finally, the more modern German spellings, Gehzemeier and Geezmei, are both used in present day Germany and are believed to have originated from the Middle High German words “gebaere” and “meie” which mean “farmer” and “mayor” respectively.
Famous people with the name Giesbers
- Evelina Giesbers: Dutch actress
- Terrace Martin: American music producer, rapper, and multi-instrumentalist.
- Tim Giesbers: Dutch professional footballer.
- Jeroen Giesbers: Dutch cricketer.
- Peter Giesbers: Dutch basketball player.
- Ruud Giesbers: Dutch volleyball coach.
- Paige Giesbers: Dutch singer-songwriter.
- Cor Giesbers: Dutch automobile racing driver.
- Floris Giesbers: Dutch water polo player.
- Pieter Giesbers: Dutch football referee.