Crist History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The distinguished surname Crist 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 Crist family

The surname Crist 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 Crist family

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

Crist Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Crist include Christ, Crist, Kirst, Kist, Kierst, Kryste, Chryste and many more.

Early Notables of the Crist family

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

Crist Ranking

In the United States, the name Crist is the 2,935^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1

Crist 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 Crist were

Crist Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Martin Crist, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1729 2
Jacob Crist, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
Johannes Crist, aged 35, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1741 2
Jacob Crist, who settled in Maryland in 1765

Crist Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Stephen Crist, who arrived in Texas in 1835 2
John Crist, who arrived in Texas in 1835 2
Philip Crist, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1856 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Crist (post 1700) +

Victor Crist (d. 2010), American politician, Member of the Florida Senate
John Harrison Crist (b. 1954), American retired decathlete, two-time National Champion (1981 and 1984) in the men's decathlon
George B. Crist (b. 1931), American retired four-star General of the United States Marine Corps, Commander in Chief, United States Central Command from 1985 to 1988
Chester Arthur Crist (1882-1957), American Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1906
Charles Thomas "Chuck" Crist (b. 1951), American former NFL football safety
Reggie Crist (b. 1968), American alpine skier at the 1992 Winter Olympics
Myndy Crist (b. 1975), American actress, best known for her roles in Six Feet Under
Ray Crist (1900-2005), American chemist who retired from teaching at the age of 104 in 2004
Henry Crist (1764-1844), American politician, Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1795 and 1806
Dayne Lawrence Crist (b. 1989), American college football quarterback at the University of Kansas
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)