Surname Addis - Meaning and Origin
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Addis: What does the surname Addis mean?
Addis is a surname of English origin, derived from the given name "Adam," which comes from the Hebrew word 'adama', meaning "earth." Historically, Addis was often used as a nickname to differentiate between multiple people named Adam in the same community. Over time, it became a surname passed down through generations. Besides England, it is also common in Scotland and Wales. The surname Addis may also have origins in Ethiopia, where it references the capital city, Addis Ababa. The term "Addis" translates to "new" in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. Hence, while primarily an English name, Addis can be connected to both western and African cultures.
Order DNA origin analysisAddis: Where does the name Addis come from?
The surname Addis is of English and Scottish origin. It is derived from personal name 'Adam', which was a common given name in the Middle Ages. In certain cases, the name might be a patronymic surname with the suffix 'son' which was contracted over time to form Addis. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Elizabeth Adis, which dates back to the year 1551.
Addis is quite uncommon as a surname in the present day. However, it can still be found in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. Some regions in Italy might also carry this surname due to migration and dispersion. It's important to remember that the prevalence of a surname doesn't necessarily mean it originated from that location but it could've spread because of migration and inter-marriages. Therefore, the popularity of the surname isn't confined to its place of origin.
Variations of the surname Addis
The surname Addis has various forms and spelling variations, often seen in ancient scripts where standard spelling rules didn't exist. Some of the most common variations of the surname Addis include Addas, Addiss, Addes, Attes, Adis and Addys. There’s also a Scottish variation of the name spelling that includes Adie, which has a similar phonetic sound to Addis.
Surnames and variations often stem from geographical locations, occupations, personal descriptive nicknames, or even patronymic names (derived from the name of a father or ancestor). The surname Addis supposedly originates from "Adam" coming from the Hebrew "Adama," signifying 'red earth,' hence, 'man of red earth'. In some European communities, it was a standard practice to use the father's name as a surname hence Adam morphing to Addis over time.
A similar-name origin can be seen in the Welsh surname Adda (a form of Adam), potentially evolving to Addis in English-speaking regions. Spelling modifications were common when Converting Welsh and Gaelic names to English, suggesting another source of the Addis surname.
All these versions descended originally from the personal name Adam, making them all effectively Adamson.
Famous people with the name Addis
- Abiy Addis: Ethiopian Prime Minister (2018: current).
- Ababa Addis: professional football player from Eritrea.
- Addis Ababa: capital city of Ethiopia, briefly known as Finfine.
- Aklilu Addis: awarded sponsored by The International Astronomical Union.
- Abadula Addis: former prime minister of Ethiopia
- Daniel Addis: award-winning producer, screenwriter and director.
- Jeannine Addis: American former figure skater
- John Addis: Canadian artist
- Fabio Addis: Italian footballer
- Ernesto Addis: Italian composer and conductor.