Surname Greilhuber - Meaning and Origin
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Greilhuber: What does the surname Greilhuber mean?
The last name Greilhuber is of German origin. It is derived from the Old German words “greil,” meaning griffin, and “huber,” meaning farmer. Together, these words form a literal meaning of “farmers who own a griffin.” This descriptive compound name is said to have been used by families of noble or royal appearances who had achieved honors and were thought to have owned a griffon as a status symbol.
The last name Greilhuber is often associated with the city of Greilhuber located in the district of Freudenstadt, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. This area was most likely named after the first family that bore this last name. It is possible that one or two generations of the Greilhuber family had moved from Freudenstadt and the surrounding areas during the Middle Ages and, eventually, spread the name to other places in Europe.
The last name Greilhuber is not found across many countries, however, it is quite popular in parts of former East Germany, such as Berlin and Saxony. In recent years, the name has also been found in Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, with larger-than-average populations in some areas.
In general, the last name Greilhuber carries a certain level of prestige and honor that can be traced back to its illustrious, noble origins. Its associations with griffon ownership illustrate the wealth, power, and distinction that those who have held it have enjoyed, and no doubt will continue to enjoy in the coming centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisGreilhuber: Where does the name Greilhuber come from?
The last name Greilhuber is most commonly found in the modern day in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In Germany, Greilhuber is the 377th most common surname, and is most concentrated in Bavaria. In Switzerland, the name is reasonably common, but is not seen much outside the Zürich and Schaffhausen areas. In Austria, the Greilhuber name is most prevalent in the Tyrol region.
In Europe, Greilhuber is generally an occupational name for a herder or farmer and has been in use since the early 14th century. Records suggest the name is primarily confined to southern Germany in, around Bavaria and neighboring countries.
The name is also seen in small numbers in the United States, primarily as an Americanization of the spelling of the original Greilhuber. As of the most recent census, Greilhuber is a very rare name, with less than 1 in 100,000 Americans bearing the name.
The Greilhuber name appears in other countries as well, most notably in South Africa and Australia; however, it remains relatively uncommon outside of mainland Europe. The Greilhuber name is still in use today, though it is not seen as widely as it was centuries ago.
Variations of the surname Greilhuber
Greilhuber is a German household name with both unique and common spellings and variations. Greilhuber is the most common spelling among German-speaking countries, but the name can also be spelled as: Greilhauer, Greilhöber, Grailehauer, Grailhuber, Grayhlohber, and Graehlhuber.
The surname Greilhuber is derived from the Middle High German word "griole", which meant either a grandfather or a gray-haired old man. This gives the Greilhuber surname an origin related to paternal grandfathers. It may be related to an old Germanic word, "graylōn", meaning father, and the Old High German word, “grailōn”, which was synonymous with “creator”. It is believed that Greilhuber was first used as a surname in Bavaria in the 7th or 8th century.
The closest variants of Greilhuber are Greilhauer and Greilhöber, which are denoted by the addition of a Umlaut (an "e" with two dots above the letter). Other spellings are found more rarely and are often regional dialectic variants. A combined version of Greilhauer and Greilhöber, Grailehauer, is sometimes used. Similarly, two other versions with the "weasel letter", Grayhlohber and Graehlhuber, are sometimes used in Bavaria and Austria.
Greilhuber is a fairly common German surname, but is not found in an overwhelmingly large amount in any one geographical area. It is often found in Austria and German speaking countries, but is fairly dispersed in Europe. The surnames Greilhauer, Greilhöber, Grailehauer, Grayhlohber, and Graehlhuber are all compound versions of Greilhuber and share the same origin.
Famous people with the name Greilhuber
- Robert Greilhuber: German tennis player, winner of several Davis Cups
- Dr. Rudolf Greilhuber: Retired Austrian Federal Minister of Science and Research
- Christian Greilhuber: Austrian astronomer and astrophysicist
- Johann Greilhuber: Austrian zoologist and botanist
- Matthias Greilhuber: German lawyer, partner at Dorda Brugger Jordis Rechtsanwälte
- Franz Greilhuber: Austrian writer, poet, and translator
- Thomas Greilhuber: German entrepreneur and real estate innovator
- Alexander Greilhuber: Austrian chess grandmaster
- Andrea Greilhuber: Austrian women's tennis player
- Caspar Greilhuber: German competitions sailor