Surname Thies - Meaning and Origin
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My Ancestral Journey with iGENEA DNA Test: Unraveling the Roots of Thies
Discovering my own roots with the iGENEA DNA test was not only enlightening, but intensified my bond with my family heritage. The process allowed me to trace back my German name 'Thies', and connected me to distant relatives.
I. Thies
read moreThies: What does the surname Thies mean?
The origin and meaning of Thies is uncertain but is thought to be derived from the Germanic personal name Theodric or Theodoric, which is composed of two elements: the elements theudo, meaning "people," and ric, meaning "power." The surname may also be of patronymic origin, derived from the personal name Theodoric, ultimately from the Germanic theudo, meaning "people," and ric, meaning "power." Thies may have originated as a location name referring to someone who lived near an ash tree or near a path of thills.
The surname Thies is mainly found in Germany, where it is estimated that there are nearly 20,000 bearers of the name. It is also found in Austria, the United States, Canada, France, and the Netherlands, where it is mainly concentrated in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The name Thies is also known as Thees, Theiss, Thiss, and Thiess. It is most common as a surname, but it can also be used as a given name. Thies is also an occupational name in some areas for someone who worked as a thresher of grain.
In Germany, Thies was mainly found in the former East Germany. Today, the name is widespread across the country but is more commonly found in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, Rhineland-Palatinate, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony, and Bavaria.
Order DNA origin analysisThies: Where does the name Thies come from?
The last name Thies is most commonly found in Germany, where the name originated. According to the 2020 census, the last name Thies is most frequently found in the regions of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Bavaria, and Berlin, and statistics have indicated that this surname is most common in the countryside. Outside of Germany, Thies can also be found in Netherlands, France, Poland, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, and Luxembourg.
Within the United States, Thies is relatively uncommon. According to the 2020 U.S. census, the surname Thies is found in relatively low concentrations in California, North Carolina, New York, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. However, the number of individuals with this last name is on the rise, suggesting that the name may become more widely spread throughout the United States in the coming years.
The Thies surname is believed to have first appeared in records dating back to the 11th century, when it originated as a patronymic surname referring to a "son of Thies". It is also documented that various branches of the family have spanned across different regions and over time.
Variations of the surname Thies
The surname Thies is derived from the Middle Ages Germanic personal name Theodoric, which is composed of two elements: the Germanic elements theudo, meaning “people,” and ric, meaning “ruler.” It is also related to the Dutch surname Duys and the German surname Thieß.
Variant spellings and surnames of the same origin include Thiess, Theiss, Tieß, Tyss, Thyes, and Thye. The Dutch spelling is Duys, while the Danish is Thyss. The French spelling is Thiez, while the Italian is Tiesi or Tesi.
In the United States, Thies is more common in the Midwest, particularly in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, while Duys is more prevalent in California and Oregon.
The surname Seit, which is the same origin as Thies, is a variant of the German word sitte, meaning "custom." Other surnames of the same origin include Szitt, Szitts, Seytt, Sitt, Sitts, and Sit.
Thies is closely related to the Danish surname Sidenius, as both surnames share the same root word siden, meaning “side” or “border.” Other variants include Sidonius, Syndonius, Sydonius, Sydoni, and Siddonich.
It is likely that variants of Thies have also arrived in North America and other countries outside of Europe, though following a different spelling pattern.
Famous people with the name Thies
- Peter Thies: German football coach
- Kyle Thies: Professional Major League Baseball pitcher
- Dietmar Thies: German architect and professor
- Paul Thies: American professional baseball player
- Uwe Thies: German Paralympic discus thrower
- Gehard Thies: German opera singer
- Fritz Thies: German botanist
- Carl Thies: American landscape painter
- Jacob Thies: American politician
- Judy Thies: American art historian and curator
- John Thies: American banker
- Don Thies: American disc jockey
- Torsten Thies: German musician
- Grady Thies: American football player
- Frantz Thies: French writer
- Kristina Thies: German television presenter
- Jim Thies: American football coach
- Franco Thies: Italian-born American stem cell scientist
- Nick Thies: American Director of Photography
- Jay Thies: American baseball pitcher