Surname Blees - Meaning and Origin
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Blees: What does the surname Blees mean?
The last name Blees is a Germanic name, likely originating from the region of what is now modern day Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. It is likely derived from the Germanic words "bler" and "busch", both meaning wood or bush.
The surname Blees could be a local name derived from people living in a densely wooded area, or it could be derived from the occupation or status of the person or family, such as a woodsman or landowner. It could also refer to one who lived near a large wooded area.
The earliest known use of the surname Blees dates back to 1504 in present day Germany. From there the Blees family likely spread across Europe, settling in various countries before eventually migrating to North America in the 1700s.
The Blees name appears in North America most commonly in the Midwestern states, like Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. This could be because many of the Blees originate from a European ancestor who traveled to these regions to settle as part of the massive European migration of the 1800s.
Today, the Blees family can be found in various countries around the world, though the most common countries are the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Although the origins of the Blees name are unclear, it has continued to last through centuries and is still celebrated today.
Order DNA origin analysisBlees: Where does the name Blees come from?
The last name Blees is most commonly found in Germany today. According to records from the German Telephone Directory, Blees is a common German surname with roughly 7,000 people bearing the name currently residing in Germany. It is also found throughout Europe, particularly in the Netherlands and Belgium. In fact, the Netherlands is the country with the highest population of people with the Blees surname, with over 20,000 people bearing the name in that country alone.
In North America, the Blees family name is somewhat less common. However, there is a notable population in the United States, with over 250 people bearing this name currently living there. The majority of Americans bearing this name are located in the states of New York and Pennsylvania, with much smaller concentrations in Virginia, California, Texas, Florida, and other states. There are also families with the Blees surname living in Canada and Mexico.
The Blees family name is derived from the Middle High German word “bliz”, meaning “wild” or “stormy”. Interestingly, its usage as a family name is likely to have originated from the shield under which a knight bore arms. Blees is thought to have been derived from the coat of arms belonging to this knight which featured three black eagles.
Overall, the Blees surname is still common in Europe, particularly in Germany and the Netherlands, and is found in smaller concentrations in North American countries, including the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Variations of the surname Blees
The Blees surname is of German origin, and is an asymmetrical short form of various longer surnames such as Bleich, Blöß, Blumel, Blumeldauer, Blauth, Bles, Blatt, Blass, and Bleser.
Variants and alternate spellings of the Blees surname include Bles, Blesse, Bless, Bley, Bleyes, Bleser, Bleso, and Bleich.
The surname can also be found in German research records spelled predominantly as Blöß, which is the most commonly used variant of the Blees surname in German records. The spelling found in records may be slightly varied due to handwriting or recording errors.
In English speaking countries, the Blees surname is often spelled Bless, Blees, Blase, or Blease. Other variations include Blis, Bliss, Blisse, Blesse, Bleser, Bleses, Blesk, Blasko, Blesso, Blayse, Bleyse, and Blyes.
The surnames Blies, Campbllys, and Blieser are variants of the Blees surname as well, although they are not as commonly used.
In Genealogical records, many people who bore the Blees surname are also known to have used the aliases Blöße, Blößel, Blößer, Blößeler, Bloßnick, Bloisweiler, Blößman, Blöcks or Blöckes.
In addition, the Blees surname is also related to various other surnames such as Bleser, Bless, Blöß, Blyes, Bleise, Blessmann, Bleeser, Blößmann and Blötz.
Famous people with the name Blees
- Alexander Blees: German medical doctor and politician
- Christopher Blees: American film director
- Eduard Blees: Dutch actor
- Manfred Blees: German politician
- Marianne Blees: Dutch actress
- Robin Blees: German Olympic rower
- Thomas Blees: German footballer
- Quentin Blees: French chef
- Andreas Blees: German singer and actor
- Kevin Blees: American director and producer
- Jens Blees: German Paralympic rower
- Wassili Blees: Belgian fighter pilot from World War II
- Rosa Blees: German philosopher and literary critic
- Quirinus Blees: German actor
- Bernard Blees: Dutch scholar and professor
- Charles Blees: French footballer
- Werner Blees: German footballer
- Johannes Blees: Dutch sociologist and criminologist
- Christian Blees: German artist
- Jan Blees: Dutch theologian