Surname Geselle - Meaning and Origin
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Geselle: What does the surname Geselle mean?
The last name Geselle is believed to have originated from the Belgian region of Flanders. It is derived from the given name Gisel, which is a Germanic personal name that was originally used as a diminutive form of the name Gilbert.
Geselle is a toponymic surname, meaning it is derived from a place or geographical area, and it primarily refers to someone who hails from the small village of Geselles, which is located in the northern part of Antwerp, Belgium. It is believed that the surname was first adopted by someone who either lived or was born in this specific region.
In the Antwerp region, the name Geselle is considered a patronymic name, denoting that the bearer is directly related to a family ancestor of the same name. The origin of the name itself is generally associated with Jewish families from the Rhineland.
The name is found in many countries throughout the world, primarily in German speaking areas, such as Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. It is also found in some areas of France and the United States of America.
In modern times, the name Geselle is still carried by many families and individuals who have chosen to keep the family name alive, in spite of its local origins. It is a great example of how family names can travel to different places and still remain connected to their origins.
Order DNA origin analysisGeselle: Where does the name Geselle come from?
The last name Geselle is an uncommon surname, with less than 400 recorded individuals bearing the name. It is most commonly found in the Netherlands, particularly in the province of Zuid-Holland. It is also found in the United States; its greatest concentration is in Texas, where approximately 230 individuals with the last name live, though it is also present in California, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. The name may have Dutch, Belgian, and possibly German origins, though its precise origin is uncertain. It is a habitational name, referring to someone from either a village in the Dutch province of Limburg called Gees, or a similar village in Germany called Geselle. It is possible, though unconfirmed, that the family migrated from Germany to the Netherlands in the 18th century.
The Geselles who migrated to the United States arrived in the mid- to late 19th century, mostly from the Netherlands, though some may have originated from Belgium. The first individual with the surname in the United States arrived around 1878, and settled in Nebraska. By 1920, the Geselles were spread throughout the United States.
Today, the last name Geselle is still rare, but gained somewhat more prominence in the United States in 2020, when Lori and Dirk Geselle, siblings from Nebraska, appeared on the reality show "The Amazing Race".
Variations of the surname Geselle
The surname Geselle is a German surname. It can be spelled in various ways such as Gaeselle, Geeselle, Gesell, Geselle, Geselles, Giselle, Gissell, Gossel, and Gezelle. It is a locational name derived from a place formerly known as Gesel in the former German state of Hesse.
It is possible that the last name might be related to the medieval German verb “gesellen”, which meaning “to join”. However, the majority of people with this last name are likely of geographical origin. The name itself is composed of two parts, “Gesel” and “le”. The first part, “Gesel”, is an old German word meaning small village or hamlet. The second part “le” is a common German suffix, denoting the process of turning something into verb form.
Variant surnames of Geselle are Geseler, Gesellman, Gesellmann, Gosseler, and Gezeller. It is also a common Dutch surname, possibly from some ethnic German immigrants during the 16th century. Dutch spellings of the name are Gassel, Gessel, Goessel, and Goezel.
The surname Geselle is also found in various other European countries due to migrations. In Hungary, the name is spelled as Giesellen, Gesselman and Gesselmann. Similarly, in Switzerland it is spelled as Geeselli and in France it is spelled as Geslin.
Another popular variant is Gisell. Gisell is pronounced differently than Geselle, and is also a French surname used in Normandy.
In the United States, owners of the surname have changed it to various other names such as Gissel, Gill, Giess, Gilles, Gies, or Giese.
In conclusion, the surname Geselle has many variants and spellings throughout the world, both German and non-German, leading to many diverse surnames under its umbrella.
Famous people with the name Geselle
- Bart Geselle: Dutch field hockey player who represented the Netherlands in the 2012 Summer Olympics.
- Willem Geselle: Dutch soccer player and manager who won the Eredivisie in 1983 with PSV Eindhoven.
- Robert Geselle: American rower who competed in the men's double sculls at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
- Henri Walther Geselle: Belgian arts patron and horticulturalist who co-founded the Society of Estates and Gardens.
- John Geselle: Canadian businessman and politician who served as the first mayor of Kitchener, Ontario.
- Girdis Geselle: German fashion designer and entrepreneur known for her colorful, cosmopolitan-style clothing.
- Adam Geselle: American singer and songwriter best known as the bassist of the rock group The Hives.
- Marie Geselle: French painter best known for her portraits depicting Parisian nightlife.
- Clara Geselle: German-American taxonomist who worked on the classification of flowering plants.
- Charles Geselle: French composer and organist whose works were featured in the 2008 film “The Spiderwick Chronicles.”