Thank you for your question regarding the origins of the family name
KIRSTEIN.
The surname Kirstein appears to be of German origin.
I don't have any conclusive information on the origin of Kirstein,
however, I found the surname 'Kirchstein' in a German genealogy file (
http://feefhs.org/de/astaka/kl.html ), and that could have easily
turned
into 'Kirstein'. There's a process in Germanic languages by which
groups of
several consonants get simplified, called 'consonant cluster
reduction';
see, for example,
Germanic Philology Newsletter
http://german.lss.wisc.edu/~sgl/newsletter/nl111.html
"Open-syllable lengthening of vowels brings stressed syllables up to
this normative length; shortening of vowels in closed syllables and
reduction of consonant clusters brings syllables down to the norm or
closer
to it."
The root "kirche" in German means "church", and the root "stein"
means "stone".
There is a mailing list for the discussion and sharing of information
regarding the Kirstein surname and variations in any place and at any
time.
To subscribe send "subscribe" to:
kirstein-l-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode) or
kirstein-d-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode).
From GERMAN NAMES IN AMERICA:
http://www.serve.com/shea/germusa/surnames.htm
"The earliest German names are the names derived from the place of
dwelling and the location of the homestead. If a person or family
migrated from one place to another, they were identified by the place
they came from. The largest group and the most easily recognizable
names are those derived from the vocation or profession of the first
bearer. They tell you what the first bearer did for a living. There is
one group where the name derives from the first names of first bearer
and another where the names come for a physical or other
characteristic of first bearer. Finally there are names that tell you
the state or region a first bearer and his family came from; the age
old division in tribes and regions (low German, middle German and
upper German) is often reflected in names. But for non-German speakers
they are at first hard to "localize". Especially those on the Dutch
border and Northern Germany sound very much like Dutch or English
names... There are a number of clues to look for in German names, for
example, if a name ends in -mann, or, -stein, it is a likely
indication that the name is German."
For more information about Germanic Genealogy please see:
About.com's German Genealogy information page:
http://german.about.com/library/blfaq_gene.htm#1
The German Government's Genealogy page:
http://www.genealogienetz.de/genealogy.html
English/German Dictionary:
http://diction.travlang.com/GermanEnglish/dict.cgi
I hope this information has proved useful to you. Please feel free to
contact
Me if you require further clarification(s).
Seeker |
