Surname Preussiger - Meaning and Origin
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Preussiger: What does the surname Preussiger mean?
The last name Preussiger is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German word Prüssiger, which in turn is related to Prussia. This name is thought to have been given to individuals from Prussia who resided in other regions of Europe. Specifically, it is believed that it was used to identify people from Prussia who had moved or relocated to Bavaria.
In particular, Preussiger most likely came from the Prussian nobility or those of the upper class. The Prussian elite were known to be quite wealthy, due to their control of certain parts of the Prussian economy which created successful gains and profitable investments. It is believed that those who had Prussian ancestry and resided outside of Prussian territories might have taken on the Preussiger surname for the wealth and status it implied.
The name Preussiger even today implies a strong degree of prestige and is often associated with those of wealthy backgrounds or higher social classes. People with this last name are perceived as being of higher class and people with a more distinguished background. This is still the case even outside of Germany and Prussia, where many immigrants have taken the name, especially to England and the United States.
Order DNA origin analysisPreussiger: Where does the name Preussiger come from?
The Preussiger name is most commonly found today in the state of Bavaria in southern Germany. According to a family tree on Ancestry.com, the earliest recorded Preussiger dates back to 1680. The name is believed to be of Bavarian origin and is unique to the region. Records from the 18th century show the Preussiger family as a well-known landed gentry in the area of Riedering in Bavaria.
The Preussigers presently still live in the same area of Bavaria, near the town of Bad Wurzach. In addition, there are several Preussiger families that live in different parts of Germany as well as in Austria, the Czech Republic, and the United States. Evidence indicates that a significant number of Preussigers have immigrated to the U.S., mostly in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Preussiger is a variation of the larger Pruessinger surname, which also originated in Bavaria. This surname is associated with various European aristocratic and noble families, as well as with some other distinguished people including Anton Preissinger, a Bavarian historian, and Jonas Preissinger, a German composer of orchestral works.
Today, it is estimated that there are between 3,000 and 15,000 Preussigers still living, making it a fairly rare surname. With its Bavarian roots, it is more likely to be found in Bavaria area or in other parts of Germany than anywhere else.
Variations of the surname Preussiger
The surname Preussiger has a few variants in spelling, depending on the country and native language of its many bearers. It is also spelled Prusiger, Prußiner, Prüssinger, Prussinger, Pruessinger, Prußiger, Prüssin and Prussin.
The main origin of the Preussiger surname is believed to be in Slovak lands which were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the time of its inception. During the 19th Century, families bearing this name emigrated from there to Germany, the United States, Canada and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
Adopting the name in different countries often led to various spellings. In German-speaking countries, the spelling Preussiger is more common, while in Hungary and Romania it is usually written as Prußiner. In the United States, most of the bearers of the name use the spelling Prusiger or Prussinger.
The Czech surname Průsinger and the Polish Pruzin are the same surname spelled differently due to the different alphabets of these countries.
The other surnames of the same origin are Prußger, Prüssin and Prussin.
Therefore, all these variants, spellings and surnames all derive from the original Preussiger surname.
Famous people with the name Preussiger
- Gustav Preussiger: a famous Czech composer
- Ernst Preussiger: a 19th century painter from Osnabrück
- Hans Preussiger: a Swiss footballer from the 1920s and 1930s
- Leo Preussiger: an Austro-Hungarian athlete, won gold for high jump at the 1912 Olympics
- Hermann Preussiger: a German racewalker who won two bronze medals at the 1912 Olympics
- John Preussiger: an American football player who played for the New York Giants in 1939 and 1940
- Anke Preussiger: a German actress and singer
- Sven Preussiger: a German author and musician
- Albert Preussiger: an Austrian ice hockey player from the 1950s
- Werner Preussiger: a German Biathlete who competed in the 1968 Olympics