Surname Göres - Meaning and Origin

Göres: What does the surname Göres mean?

The last name Göres is a variation of the German surname Göhr, which is derived from the word “Goehre” meaning “woodcutter” or “forester”. This name is also found in Denmark and Sweden. The earliest known reference of the Göres surname records dates back to 1550 in a book of heraldry for the lower Rhine Valley in Germany.

The Göres name is often associated with people living near woodlands, as Göres translates to “of the woods” in German. It was traditionally passed down as a hereditary surname for those who cut timber and cared for the forests. As such, it was particularly popular in regions of Germany, Denmark, and Sweden where people would gather timber as part of their daily life.

Today, the Göres surname is still popular in countries like Germany and Scandinavia. It is also found in many other countries across the world due to emigration. As such, there are multitudes of different spellings to be found, such as Goerres, Gohr, Goerre, and Goehr.

While Göres may have originated from a profession, it still carries a strong sense of family and community today. Individuals with this surname often take pride in their heritage and strive to keep in touch with other Göres around the world.

Göres: Where does the name Göres come from?

The last name Göres is most commonly found today in Germany and Austria. It is also found with lesser frequency in other German-speaking countries such as Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and parts of Northern Italy.

The origin of the Göres family name is uncertain, though it may be derived from words meaning "God's Fight" or "God's Victory". The earliest known use of the name was found in the 14th century, when Julius Göres was recorded as a witness during a dispute in Bivongau, Prussia.

The name Göres has steadily increased in popularity over the centuries, with F.W. Salfner’s book “Handbuch der deutschen Familiennamen” documenting over 6800 people bearing the last name between 1811 and 1875. During the 20th century, the name spread further with economic, political, and social migration.

Today, the Göres family name remains an important part of the German-speaking cultural and linguistic identity. In many rural villages and towns, it is still common practice to witness the transfer of the family name from one generation to the next. This evidence of cultural continuity has resulted in the family name Göres being passed down through the centuries, making it one of the oldest and most common family names in Europe.

Variations of the surname Göres

The surname Göres, which is of German origin, has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.

Variants of the surname Göres include Göhr, Göhre, Görres, Goeres, Goehrs, and Goehres.

Spellings of the surname Göres in Cyrillic script as used in German-speaking countries and elsewhere include Гёрес, Горес, and Гоэрес.

Surnames sharing the same origin as Göres are Goer, Goers, Goerz, Gor, Gores, Gorez, Gors, Gortz, Goertz, Gurtz, and Kortz.

Together, these variants, spellings, and surnames form a broad spectrum of spellings of the same surname. Göres is a variation of the German root ger, which means "spear", and is indicative of an occupation or characteristic of the original bearer—in this case, it could allude to a military man or hunter. In the Middle Ages, many Germans adopted the ‘sen’ or ‘son’ suffix to their names, and additional variations of Göres such as Göhrsen, Göhers, Goertzsen, Goertsen, and Gorz could be indicative of a line of descendants.

Ultimately, Göres is a common German surname with a variety of other surnames and spellings that share the same origin.

Famous people with the name Göres

• Anna Göres: Swedish pop singer
• Petra Göres: Swedish actress
• Lennart Göres: Swedish actor
• Lena Göres: Member of the Swedish American Hall of Fame
• John Göres: CEO of Göres Auto Group
• Nora Göres: Singer and songwriter with the Swedish pop band ‘FBR’
• Björn Göres: Professional soccer player with AIK
• Thomas Göres: Professional tennis player
• Oscar Göres: Swedish-American cardiologist
• Magnus Göres: Swedish politician, former Minister for Culture and Sport
• Olov Göres: Swedish Olympic ski jumper
• Krishna Göres: Winner of the Swedish National playwriting competition

Other surnames

Göressen