Geige History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Geige

What does the name Geige mean?

The surname Geige is a German occupational surname that evolved in the region known as the Rhineland. Germans at first used only one name, but population growth and increased travel in medieval times caused confusion between people of the same name, forcing the people to adopt hereditary surnames. These names often identified people by the kind of work they did. Geige is a name for a musician or a person who played the violin. The name Geige is derived from the Old German word "gigaere," which means "violinist" or "fiddle player."

Early Origins of the Geige family

The surname Geige was first found in the Rhine region, where the name contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation which would later play a large role in the tribal and national conflicts of the area. In later years the name branched into many houses, each playing a significant role in the local social and political affairs.

Early History of the Geige family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Geige research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1775 and 1789 are included under the topic Early Geige History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Geige Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Geige include Geiger, Geige, Geyger, Gieger, Geygher, Geigher and many more.

Early Notables of the Geige family

Notables with the name Geige during this period were

Adam Geiger, who was a jurist of Vienna ennobled in 1789

Migration of the Geige family

Hundreds of thousands of Europeans, including many Rhinelanders, made the voyage to North America between the 17th and 20th centuries. It was an escape from religious persecution and poverty and also an opportunity for people to start over and own their own land. Most landed at Ellis Island, off New York before moving on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, and California. Some also landed in Canada and settled in Ontario, while others headed west to the prairie provinces. A study of passenger and immigration lists has shown a number of people bearing the name of Geige, or one of its variants, reaching North America shores very early: Hans Jergen Geiger, who came to Pennsylvania, with his wife and three children in 1727; Johann Adam Geiger came to Philadelphia in 1752. According to immigration records there were many Geigers, who almost without exception settled in Philadelphia or Pennsylvania..