Curtiss
A surname usually understood as a spelling variant of Curtis, originally a nickname from a courtly or polite medieval French byname.
The #6,217 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 56,136 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Curtiss is generally a variant spelling of Curtis, a surname that came into English from Old French. The underlying word is usually traced to Old French curteis, meaning “courteous,” “well-bred,” or “polite,” originally used as a nickname for someone known for refined manners. In some cases the name was also influenced by forms used as surnames in Norman and medieval English records.
History
The spelling Curtiss appears as a later orthographic variant rather than a separate origin. The name was established in England by the medieval period and later carried to North America by English settlers and their descendants. Because spelling was not standardized, double-s forms like Curtiss often coexist with Curtis in family lines.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The excerpt points readers from Curtiss to Curtis, which is a common sign that Curtiss was treated as a spelling variant rather than a distinct surname.
From the historical record
“(Mon. ii.). Curtiss. See CuRTIS. Curion, from Cour9on near Caen, and Viro, Normandy. Robert de C. Imd estates, Norfolk, 1086 (Domesd.), He left de^ccndr.nts in Norfolk. Riduird and Hubert de”
— The Norman People and their existing descendants in the British dominions and the United States