This is a German topographic name for one who dwelled near a wild cherry tree, deriving from the Germanic elements 'Kirsch' - cherry and 'stein' - a stone. It may also have been a nickname for one with small, hardened features. In the modern idiom the name has five spelling variations; Kirschstein, Kirstein, Kirstain, Kerstein and Karschenstein. In certain parts of Germany Kirstein is the spelling of the English and French surname Christian (from the Greek Kristos, a derivitive of kriein - 'to anoint') The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Krispin Kirchenstein which was dated C.1680 The Kingdom State of Prussia during the reign of Emperor Leopold 1 1668-1705 Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation.
In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname kirstein is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation. Adhering to what we know about the way surnames originated, it is possible to offer a realistic explanation of the origins of kirstein.
The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname kirstein provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations.
For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname kirstein, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of kirstein developed. In the following lines, you will find everything we have been able to gather about the surname kirstein.
We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about kirstein and send it to us, we will update it on this website.
Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname kirstein were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. If you or someone you know bears the surname kirstein, you could potentially build illustrious lineages through your efforts and virtues. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname kirstein who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of kirstein are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation. Accessing the archives of the town or towns where your ancestors were born and lived is, of course, a good way to trace the origins of kirstein.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of kirstein, and at the same time, of surnames in general.