Surname Gensheimer - Meaning and Origin
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Gensheimer: What does the surname Gensheimer mean?
The surname Gensheimer is derived from a German appellation and most commonly found in German-speaking countries. It is derived from 'Gensheim' - a place name which is composed of two separate words. The Old German word 'genez' means 'family', and 'heim' implies 'landmark' or 'home'. This suggests that those who first bore the name originally hailed from a certain landmark or home belonging to their respective families.
Over time, this place name became the surname Gensheimer. It was then passed down to the successive generations of their families, so that today it is most commonly found in the countries of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
Gensheimer has been used throughout history as an ornamental name. It was especially popular among the merchant class in old Germany who may have wished to distinguish themselves from the masses or elevate their social standing. Interestingly, it was also used in a mocking or humorous context in medieval Germany which may help to explain why there are not more people bearing the Gensheimer name today.
Order DNA origin analysisGensheimer: Where does the name Gensheimer come from?
The last name Gensheimer is most commonly found in Germany today. Records indicate that the Gensheimer surname dates back to the early 13th century, with ancestors located in the German region of the Palatinate, an area in the western part of the country.
In modern Germany, Gensheimer is most commonly found in the southwestern region of the country. Records show that 860 people with the surname are currently living in the country, primarily in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, and Bavaria.
In addition, Gensheimer families have migrated to other parts of the world such as the United States, England, and Canada. It is thought that the majority of these Gensheimer immigrants came to the United States in the 19th century to seek new economic and political opportunities. Records show that the 2010 US census reported an estimated 2,120 people carrying the Gensheimer surname, indicating a small but relatively steady growth of the family line in the United States since the original immigrants arrived.
The last name Gensheimer is a distinguished German family name with a rich history in Germany and other parts of the world. While it is most commonly found in the country of its origin, the growth of the Gensheimer family line can be seen in countries around the world today.
Variations of the surname Gensheimer
Gensheimer is an occupational surname of German origin, derived from the name of the occupation of a Gensheimer, which was once a kind of merchant-guild that traded in cloth and fine linens. The surname itself has a number of variant and alternate spellings, which include Genzheimer, Ganzheimer, Gansheimer, Genshimer, Genseimer, Genchheimer, Gantsheimer, Gantshimer, Gantseimer, Gantsheimer, and Gandheimer. Additionally, a number of eastern European Jewish surnames can be translated as Gensheimer or its variants, including Ganz-Hemer, Genzheimer, Ganzheimer, Gansheim, Genseim, and Gansheimer.
The name may have also been derived from the Frankish personal name "Gundichheim", which was composed of the elements "gund", meaning "war", and "heim", meaning "home". The surname Gensheimer may also have been derived from a place-name.
It is intriguing to note the regional variations of the surname Gensheimer, or its variants, in different parts of the German-speaking world. In some regions it may exist mainly as Gensheimer, whilst in others it may be mostly Gansheimer, Gantsheimer, or Genchheimer. In some parts of Germany, the surname Gensheimer is even divided even further, with one spelling being used by the Catholic population and a different one for the Protestant population. Interestingly, many of the variant spellings migrated with German immigrants to other parts of the world, gradually dispersing all over Europe and beyond.
Famous people with the name Gensheimer
- Kai Gensheimer: German handball player
- Lisa Gensheimer: US actress
- Rebecca Gensheimer: American Olympic swimmer
- Justus Gensheimer: German soccer player
- John Gensheimer: American architect
- Mark Gensheimer: American attorney and politician
- Max Gensheimer: American politician
- Karl Max Gensheimer: German architect and author
- Thomas Gensheimer: German ice hockey player
- Günter Gensheimer: German poet and author
- Michael Gensheimer: German lawyer and author
- Ed Gensheimer: American musician and writer
- Walfried Gensheimer: German lecturer, lawyer, and civil servant
- Peter Gensheimer: Austrian curler
- Corinna Gensheimer: German gymnastics coach
- Frank Gensheimer: German actor, director, and screenwriter
- Johannes Gensheimer: German politician
- Kurt Gensheimer: German astronomer
- Phyllis Gensheimer: American artist
- Walter Gensheimer: German historian