Surname Giedraitis - Meaning and Origin
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Giedraitis: What does the surname Giedraitis mean?
The last name Giedraitis is of Lithuanian origin and has its roots in the old Lithuanian language. Giedraitis, also sometimes spelled Giedraitis, refers to a person from Giedraiciai, a small village in southwest Lithuania. The name is derived from the Lithuanian word "giedra," meaning "warmth."
The Giedraitis family has been part of Lithuanian history since at least the 16th century. During that time, the family was part of the land owning elite in the country, and as such were well established.
Over time, the Giedraitis family moved throughout the country and abroad, settling in various countries around Europe and the Americas. The family has a long and distinguished history in Lithuania, and it continues to live on in some form today.
Today, the Giedraitis name is best known in Lithuania, which still has several thousand people with the surname. In the United States, many of those with the name are descendants of those who left Lithuania in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
No matter where they are in the world, members of the Giedraitis family have a great deal of pride in their heritage. The name carries with it a rich history and strong traditions. With its strong ties to Lithuania, the last name Giedraitis is sure to be remembered for many generations to come.
Order DNA origin analysisGiedraitis: Where does the name Giedraitis come from?
The last name Giedraitis is of Lithuanian origin. The surname Giedraitis is most commonly found in Lithuania, in former Soviet Union states such as Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, and Russia, as well as in Poland. It is also found in small numbers in the United States and Canada.
Giedraitis is derived from the name Giedra, which is thought to possibly be derived from the Lithuanian word for "threshing floor." The surname has been known to be in use since at least the early 1500's in Lithuania, where its bearers were noted for their deep commitment to their Catholic faith and their loyalty to their homeland.
In the United States and Canada, the last name Giedraitis is most commonly found in major cities such as Chicago, New York City, and Toronto. It is also common in states such as Pennsylvania, California, and New Jersey. In addition, immigrants from Lithuania and other former Soviet states have made Giedraitis a fairly common surname.
It is also common in many European countries, including the United Kingdom, where it has been present in London and other areas since at least the 19th century. Moreover, the name Giedraitis is quite common in other countries throughout the world, including Australia, Japan, and even South America.
Variations of the surname Giedraitis
The surname Giedraitis has a couple of variant spellings and surnames of the same origin.
Giedraitis is a Lithuanian surname, derived from the privitive form of the word “giedra” meaning "sunny". Common variant spellings for the Giedraitis surname include Gedraitis, Geidraitis, Geidraitis, Gyedraitis, and Giedraitys.
Giedraitis is also known to be a Polish version of the surname Giedraitis, though the spelling can be slightly different as in Giedroyc, Geydroyc, Giedrawych, Gyedraitis, Giedraic, and Gedroyc. Additionally, the German version of the surname Giedraitis is Gierth or Gierte and the Swedish version is Giedra.
Giedraitis is also associated with surnames such as Giedraitas, Giedrojc, Giedranas, Giedrys, Geidraite, Girdraitis, Giedrake and Giedraitis-Lunge.
The surnames Gierth and Gierte may also be a reference to other German surnames such as Gierhardt, Gierloff, Gieringer, Gierke, Gierl, and Giersgrave.
In some cases, when surnames containing the name Giedraitis immigrated to other countries such as the United States or Canada, Giedraitis may be incorrectly transcribed in different ways such as Geydroyas, Gidraitys, or Geydraitis. In some cases, immigrants to the United States have been known to change their surnames to create an American-sounding name, such as Garraty or Garrett.
All of the variant spellings and surnames of Giedraitis, as well as the other Germanic variants, can be traced back to the same origin; the privitive form of the Lithuanian word “giedra”, meaning "sunny."
Famous people with the name Giedraitis
- Darius Giedraitis: a former basketball player who competed for Lithuania in the 1992 Summer Olympics.
- Laurynas Giedraitis: a professional basketball player from Klaipėda, Lithuania.
- Darius Giedraitis: a professional ice hockey player for Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
- Arnoldas Giedraitis: a professional football player from Lithuania, currently playing for MSV Duisburg in the 3. Liga.
- Zigmas Giedraitis: a Lithuanian long jumper, triple jumper and pole vaulter. He competed at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics.
- Paulius Giedraitis: a Lithuanian professional football player who plays for Wisła Płock in the Ekstraklasa.
- Donatas Giedraitis: a Lithuanian professional basketball player. He has played in the Lithuanian Basketball League and also competed in the 2017 FIBA Europe Cup.
- Mindaugas Giedraitis: a former long-distance runner from Lithuania. He competed in the 10,000 m event at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
- Eimantas Giedraitis: a Lithuanian professional road bicycle racer, who currently rides for UCI Continental team Burgos-BH.
- Simas Giedraitis: a Lithuanian weightlifter who won the PhD title in 1991. He competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.