GOERING
Goering is a surname of German provenance. Its earliest attestations lie in the Middle Ages and it has since become widespread throughout Europe in a multitude of spelling variants.
According to linguistic research, the name is derived either from the Middle High German word gëring, meaning “small” or “young”, or from the pre‑7th‑century personal name Gering. The latter itself stems from the Germanic element gari or geri meaning “spear”, with the suffix -ing denoting “the people” or “the tribe”. As a result, the literal sense of the original form can be rendered as “the spear people”. Scholars also note a possible origin in nicknames such as “brave”, “strong” or “fierce”, connoting a warrior’s reputation.
Recorded spellings include Gearing, Geering, Goring, Gerin, Geron, Gering, Gehring, Gehringer, Goering, Gohring, and many others. Early documentary evidence is found in the 1202 Lancashire Assize Court where a witness named William Gering appears, in the 1296 subsidy rolls of Sussex where Sewal Geryng is listed, and in a 1325 act of the city of Konstanz referencing Magister Gerundus Gering.
In contemporary times the surname persists mainly in German-speaking regions. According to the NamStats database, roughly 1,764 individuals bear the name Goering in Germany, the majority residing in the former East German state of Saxony. In Austria a few hundred people carry the surname, largely concentrated around Vienna. In the United States, the Social Security Death Index records 84 deaths with the same surname between 1937 and 2018, indicating a modest diaspora from German and Austrian ancestry.
Perhaps the most notable bearer of this surname is Hermann Goering, a leading figure in Nazi Germany. He joined the party in 1922 and rose to positions such as head of the Luftwaffe and president of the Reichstag. After the war he was tried at Nuremberg and executed for his role in crimes against humanity. Though the name carries this historical association, it remains a standard surname in many communities.
The anglicised form Goering is closely linked to the German Göring. In England an adaptation called Goreing appears, whereas in the United States the spelling Gering is frequently used. French variants include Gouren, Italian Gorring or Goringo, Czech Gering, Swiss Göring, Dutch Göring, and Belgian Gorin. All these forms share a common etymological root that communicates strength or spearsmanship.
In sum, the Goering surname traces back to early Germanic origins, showcases a rich tapestry of spelling and regional variations, and continues to exist in modest numbers across Europe and North America, even as it is indelibly linked to a prominent, though infamous, historical figure.
Typical given names associated with the Goering surname
Male
- Andy
- Mark
- Ralf
Female
- Donia
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Goering in...
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There are approximately 31 people named Goering in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Fewer than one in a million people in Britain are named Goering.
