what ethnic background could the family name"kissinger" come from?

Answer 1

http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/default.aspx?ln=

Kissinger

German and Jewish (from Germany): habitational name from Kissingen in Franconia or Kissing in Bavaria, both of which, according to Bahlow, are named with a lost element kis(s) ‘marsh’, ‘swamp’, although Berger favors a Slavic origin, from kisac ‘to make acid’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4

Note that surnames follow the male line. If John Kissinger went east in 1832 and married a Chinese woman, and his (male) descendents followed suit for 6 generations, there could be people who were 63/64ths Chinese running around today named Kissinger. Or, if he'd gone west, 63/64ths Cherokee.

Answer 2

The family name Kissinger would come from a German background. Henry Kissinger is the only one I know with that name & he was German

Answer 3

More than likely the name has it's origin in Germany. There is a city named Kissingen in Germany as well. "Kissinger" would be the people who come from Kissingen. Much like people from Buffalo are called "Buffalonians".

Answer 4

Henry Kissinger was born in Germany, and the family name would have come from there.

Answer 5

Weird logic---If the 7th generation male descendant of said John Kissinger did a Y-DNA self-test he'd still retain the 'pure' Kissinger Y-profile----i.e. he would still =----in principle ====be "half" Kissinger----without delving into precise genetic breakdowns.

Answer 6

Check out this website:

http://genforum.genealogy.com/kissinger/

The Origination of the Name -- KESSINGER/KASINGER/KISSINGER

The name, “Kessinger”, must be classed among the oldest names in continuous use, if the traditional story of its origin is true; and that story appears, both logical and plausible, when the following is considered:


1. The Kessinger name is definitely of German origin.
2. The name is obviously derived from a place, or region.
(Tradition says, from Kissen, or Kessing Springs.)
3. Kissen Springs, Kessing Springs, Bad Kissingen and the
City of Kissingen, all refer to the same area. -- They are, or were,
actual geographic locations.
4. The Roman Legions did invade Ancient Germania; and their army
was destroyed by the tribes of Germanic barbarians, in Teutoburger
Woods, in the year 9 AD
5. The story agrees with the following analysis, of the name:



“Kess” means “swamp”; “Kiss” means “moor”. Both are commonly found
as a part of German place names.

The syllable, “ing”, is a common ending for many German family names and when it is so used, it means, “family”, “clan”, "tribe”, etc. Thus “Kess-ing” would read “swamp family, clan or tribe”; and “Kiss-ing”.would read “moor family, clan or tribe".

They were sometimes referred to in history as the "Moorish Clans". The suffix,"er", means "one of", "one who", or “a member of". Thus, when the suffix, "er" is added to “Kessing” to form “Kess ing er”, the reading becomes, “a member of a swamp clan, or tribe”; likewise, “Kiss ing er" may read, “a member of a moorish clan”.

The suffix, "en", was formerly used to form the plural of some nouns, as "Kis sen" - "moors "; and "Kissingen” - "Moor clans".

“Bad" means "bath", “water", "spring”, etc; and when used with"Kissingen” as "bad Kissingen" may be interpreted to read, the “spring of the Moorish clans". -

Today, "Bad Kissingen" is a large and very popular health resort, or spa, noted for it's thermal and mineral springs, located 70 miles north-east of Mannheim; and 40 miles due east of Frankfort, Germany.

The correct form of the original name is unknown, but the most popular forms, today, are Kessinger, Kissinger and Kasinger.

In America, many variations of the name have evolved, making it almost impossible to identify some family members.

Various forms of the name, found in publications and official records, referring to members of the Kessinger and Kissinger family, include:

Caisinger - Casinger - Cassinger - Caysinger - Kaisinger - Kasinger -
Kassinger - Kaysinger - Keasinger - Keisinger - Keissinger - Kepsinger –
Kepsner - Kersner - Kersinger - Kersiner - Kersonger - Kesinger –
Kessinger - Kesiner - Kessner - Kessiner - Kesniger - Kessonger –
Kiesinger - Kiessinger - Kisinger - Kissinger - Kissenger - Kishinger –
Kisslinger - Kitsinger - Kysingere


Two, or more, variations of the name, have been found in the same document, referring to the same person.

In many cases, the name was spelled differently by the father and his children on the same document. For example, the spelling of the names in Andrew Kessinger’s will.


ANDREW CASINGER ESTATE EXTRACT
#430 Jacksonville, M o r g a n County, Illinois Aug. 21, 1836
Estate Distributions to: Widow’s third (Catherine “Caty” Hall) = $80.86
Remaining two-thirds to each of 11 children.
1 Jul 1837 Solomon Kasinger = $14.37
15 Jul 1837 Andrew Kesinger = $14.37
1 Jul 1837 Peter Kesinger = $14.37
1 Jul 1837 Jacob & William Kasenger = $28.75
4 Jul 1837 Joseph Kesinger = $14.37
30 Jun 1837 Catharine Casinger = $36.87
1 Sep 1836 Henry Kasinger = $14.61
13 Oct 1836 John Kasinger = $14.61


The pronunciation of the name Kessinger, also varies, even among family members, such as:
“Kess ing er” - “Kes singer” - “Kess in ger” and “Kay singer”.

Answer 7

Kissinger is German and the Best German name to have.And no its not Jewish.The best Kissinger to live is named Clayton.

Answer 8

Jews. Old Henry is a German Jew. Kissinger is a Jewish name.

Answer 9

First off I don't think 90% of the people would believe who he is or was, and would not care for what he had to say. That is if he came in human form. The last God, could not get all the people to listen to him. For most of them did not care what he had to say. Sorry. take care dave

Answer 10

all i know is henry kissinger!