Kercher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The German state of Silesia is the glorious birthplace of the distinguished surname Kercher. In the medieval era, Germany was fragmented and inhabited by numerous Barbarian tribes, who fought amongst themselves for control of the land. The ancient dukedom of Silesia derived its name from the Germanic tribe named the Silingers, who occupied Silesia between the 2nd and the 6th centuries.

Early Origins of the Kercher family

The surname Kercher was first found in Silesia, where the family became noted for its many branches within the region, many houses acquiring a status and influence which rivaled that of the landed aristocracy. In their later history some branches were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they distinguished themselves through their contributions to the social, political, and economic developments of the nation. The mediaeval form of the name, "Kirchherr," meant literally "priest" or "servant of the church." The word "Kirchner" is still used in this way today in certain parts of Thuringia.

Early History of the Kercher family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kercher research. Another 172 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1592, 1601, 1657, 1680, 1707 and 1731 are included under the topic Early Kercher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kercher Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Kirchner, Circhner, Kirchener, Kerchner, Cerchner, Kirckner, Kerkner, Kerckner, Kercher, Kirchen, Kircher and many more.

Early Notables of the Kercher family

Notables of the period with the surname Kercher were Athanasius Kircher (1601-1680), known as Father Kircher, who was a Jesuit priest famous across Europe for his great...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kercher Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kercher migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kercher Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johann Philip Kercher, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1742 1
Reinhart Dietrich Kercher, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 1
Catharina Kercher, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1764 1

Kercher Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Daniel Kercher, who landed in New York in 1820 1
L Kercher, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 1
Philipp Kercher, aged 48, who arrived in New York in 1854 1

Kercher migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Kercher Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

George Kercher, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Mount Stuart Elphinstone" in 1851 2

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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MOUNT STUART ELPHINSTONE 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851MountStuartElphinstone.gif