Chriss History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The distinguished surname Chriss is a proud sign of a rich and ancient Austrian ancestry. Austria, which was originally home to a Celtic people, was conquered by the Roman Empire in about 15 BC. Following the fall of Rome, Austria was repeatedly invaded by barbarian tribes, such as the Vandals, Visigoths, and Huns, who swept in from the east. During the 5th and 6th centuries, the Alemanni, Avars and Slavs settled Austria. The Avars were defeated in 785 by the Frankish emperor Charlemagne, who set up the East Mark, which later became known as the Österreich. Austria was ruled by the Babenburger dynasty until 1278, when they were succeeded by the Hapsburg dynasty, which ruled Austria until the 20th century.

Early Origins of the Chriss family

The surname Chriss was first found in Austria, where the family contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation which would later play a large role in the tribal and national conflicts of the area. In later years the name branched into many houses, each playing a significant role in the local social and political affairs.

Early History of the Chriss family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chriss research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1775, 1811 and 1813 are included under the topic Early Chriss History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chriss Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Chriss include Christ, Crist, Kirst, Kist, Kierst, Kryste, Chryste and many more.

Early Notables of the Chriss family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chriss Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chriss migration to the United States +

After the First World War, Austria became a republic. The Treaty of Versailles broke up the empire in 1919 and many of the Sudeten Germans were incorporated into the new nation of Czechoslovakia. In the 20th century, many Austrians migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Chriss were

Chriss Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Adam Chriss, aged 7, who landed in New York, NY in 1866 1
Catharina Chriss, aged 16, who arrived in New York, NY in 1866 1
Jacob Chriss, aged 14, who landed in New York, NY in 1866 1
Johan Chriss, aged 44, who arrived in New York, NY in 1866 1
Maria Chriss, aged 6, who landed in New York, NY, in 1866 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Chriss (post 1700) +

Chriss Anglin, American actor, known for Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010) and An American Carol (2008)

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)