Kirchner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The German state of Silesia is the glorious birthplace of the distinguished surname Kirchner. 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 Kirchner family
The surname Kirchner 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 Kirchner family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kirchner research. Another 172 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1592, 1601, 1657, 1680, 1707 and 1731 are included under the topic Early Kirchner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Kirchner 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 Kirchner family
Notables of the period with the surname Kirchner 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 Kirchner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Kirchner Ranking
In the United States, the name Kirchner is the 3,949th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1
Kirchner migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Kirchner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Georg Kirchner, who settled in New York State in 1710
- Johannes Kirchner, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1731
- Andreas Kirchner, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 2
- Joh Georg Kirchner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1751 2
- Agnes Kirchner, who landed in America in 1752 2
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Kirchner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Mr. Joh. Georg Kirchner, aged 33, from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Joh. Derhardt" in 1844, he died in 1846
- Mrs. Marg. Kirchner, from Germany with 2 children who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Joh. Derhardt" in 1844
- Dor. Kirchner, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Louise"
- Mr. Christian Kirchner, aged 29, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Mathilda"
- Mr. Joh. E. Kirchner, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Mathilda", may have died on board
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Kirchner Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- August R Kirchner, who landed in Alabama in 1913 2
Kirchner migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Kirchner Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Gottlieb Kirchner, a tailor, who arrived in South Australia in 1848 aboard the ship "Alfred" 3
- John Chr Kirchner, aged 30, who arrived in South Australia in 1848 aboard the ship "Alfred" 3
Contemporary Notables of the name Kirchner (post 1700) +
- Corporal Kirchner (1957-2021), ring name of Michael James Penzel, an American professional wrestler and United States Army paratrooper
- Michael Kirchner (b. 1957), American former professional wrestler, known as Corporal Kirchner in the WWF
- Leon Kirchner (b. 1919), American composer and pianist. He studied with Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Toch, and Klemperer, and later taught at Harvard
- Otto Kirchner (1846-1920), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1876; Michigan State Attorney General, 1877-80 4
- Herman E. Kirchner, American Republican politician, Candidate for West Virginia State House of Delegates from Mercer County, 1968 4
- Gerri Kirchner, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 2008 4
- George E. Kirchner, American politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Bethel, 1912 4
- Volker David Kirchner (1942-2020), German composer and violist, recipient of the Rheingau Musikpreis, Peter Cornelius Plaque and the Kunstpreis Rheinland-Pfalz
- Mark Kirchner (b. 1970), German former biathlete, first German to become Olympic champion in 1992
- Nestor Kirchner (1950-2010), former Argentine President (2003-2007)
- ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Suggested Readings for the name Kirchner +
- The Ancestors and Descendants of Herman Buechele and Mary Rehklau and Michael Kirchner by Ruth Buchele Doerr.
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)
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ALFRED 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Alfred.htm
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html