Kress Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Kress last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Kress last name
Meaning of the Kress last name: a descendant of Erasmus, or a nickname from cress. The surname Kress is explained by Smith as a pet form of Erasmus, amiable; others link it with Middle High German kresse, cress or gudgeon, a small fish. The last name is common in Franconia and Württemberg, and Nuremberg records mention Kress merchant families.
Arms associated with the Kress name
Sharing a surname establishes no coat of arms entitlement; heraldry follows documented individual lineages.
Get your full Kress family history
This is only a glimpse of the Kress story. The full Kress history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Kress coat of arms. Get the full Kress report.
Kress name FAQ
What does the Kress name mean?
A descendant of Erasmus, or a nickname from cress.
Where does the Kress surname come from?
It originates in Germany, and is also found in the United States and France.
Is there a Kress coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Kress coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Elsdon C. Smith, Dictionary of American Family Names (1956), individual surname entries; modern indexed dictionary entries supersede conflicting interpretations.; Forebears, Surnam.es and individual surname distribution references.