Surname Größlein - Meaning and Origin
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Größlein: What does the surname Größlein mean?
The last name Größlein is a German surname, and it is quite common in Bavaria, Saxony, and parts of Austria. Its literal translation from the German language is "little large," and it may refer to someone who was small in stature but larger than his peers.
This surname is thought to have been created during the Middle Ages as a nickname for a small person who was royal or noble, or for a leader among his cohort. Größlein is also reported to have been used as a sign of rebellion or defiance against the norms of the era, when many people were not given surnames and instead were only known by their patronymic or christening name.
It's believed that the Größlein family is of Germanic origin and may have descended from Saxon or Bavarian nobility. Some Größleins were reported to be literate and had access to land. Some even served military roles, such as during the Thirty Years' War.
Many who bore the Größlein surname have roots that date back hundreds of years. Today, Größlein is a surname still found mainly in Germany, Austria, and other Germanic countries. It is believed to be carried by about 10,000 people worldwide.
Order DNA origin analysisGrößlein: Where does the name Größlein come from?
The last name Größlein is of German origin and is most commonly found within Europe today. Historically, the name had roots in the Middle Rhine region of Germany, but has since spread and is now found across Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and several other European countries.
Over the years, the name has been adopted into various local dialects via phonetic spelling variations such as Grosleyn or Greyslein in Britain and Grossolyn in Ireland. This has led to the last name being found globally in places such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.
The name Größlein has a meaning of “little great one” and it is believed to have come fromgruess (details) + lein(-an) (diminutive suffix), both words originating in the German language. This suggests that the first produce of the name were small-scale landholders, traders, or merchants.
Despite the common Germanic spelling, the last name Größlein is pronounced in different ways depending on the region. In German it is pronounced “GROSS-line”, in Switzerland it is “GRES-line”, in Austria it is “GRO-sslin” and in Britain the pronunciation is often “GRES-leen”.
Variations of the surname Größlein
The surname Größlein is an occupational surname that originated from German-speaking areas of Europe and likely began as Grooslein. Preceding this, the name Endinghaus in the form of "Endinkes" is found in North-Rhine Westphalia records from the thirteenth century. The name references someone who lived in a house located at the end of a road, trail, or path, from the Middle High German "hinze" for 'end' and "haus" for 'house'.
Variations of the surname Größlein include Grosslein, Groeslein, Grooslein, Groeßlein, and Grosselein. Spellings of Großlein, Großlyn and Großlyne have also been found.
Alternate surnames of the same origin include Endhaus, Önderhaus, Önnewinkel, Öntges, Endinck, Endinckes, Endink, Endinke, Endunck, Entgen, Entgens, Entges, Önnewinck, and Önnewinkle. Variations of the spellings include Onderhaus, Oendhaus, Onnewinckel, Onnewinkel, Oennewinckle, Onnewinkle, Onnevinck, Onnevinckes, Onnevinke, and other combinations.
The surname prefixes may also differ from country to country, such as Van Der Enden in Dutch; Der Ender, Von Der Ende, and Van Der Ende in German; Furniture Demendean or Sur Demendean in French; and Del Ende in Spanish.
Regardless of its spelling, the surname Größlein is an occupational surname derived from the Middle High German words of "hinze" for 'end' and "haus" for 'house'.
Famous people with the name Größlein
- Christopher Größlein: German actor and journalist
- Julian Größlein: Austrian politician and Member of the European Parliament
- Hermann Größlein: German World War I pilot
- Marcus Größlein: German World War II ace
- Alex Größlein: German professional soccer player
- Uwe Größlein: German professor of cryptography
- Ludwig Größlein: German civil engineer and architectural theoretician
- Egon Größlein: Austrian singer and actor
- Mathias Größlein: German Olympic fencer
- Michael Größlein: German politician