Surname Kissling - Meaning and Origin

Tracing Ancestry and Creating Connections: My Journey with the iGENEA DNA Test

Venture into your past and connect with people worldwide with the same surname. The iGENEA DNA Test provides an intimate view into your ancestry, bring your family lineage to life in a fascinating way.

U. Kissling

Kissling: What does the surname Kissling mean?

The last name Kissling holds Germanic roots and means "son of Kilian" or "descendant of Kilian". Kilian was the name of an early Christian saint who was martyred in the late 7th century AD. As a variant, the Old High German name "Kilizo" was transformed into the Middle High German word "Kissel" (a kettle) which was then adapted into the surname Kissling.

The first recorded Kissling was Sir Heinrich Kissling, who lived in the 13th Century in Switzerland. His descendants moved to the surrounding Bavarian region and later to the United States, where many of them can still be found today. The surname is most commonly found in Switzerland and Germany—the most common variations of the surname are Keyssling, Keeseling, Kissling, and Kisseling.

The surname Kissling is associated with the qualities of resilience and steadfastness— characteristic of those descended from Kilian—as well as the tradition of hospitality, the main trait of Kilian before his martyrdom. Furthermore, the various spellings of the name often reflect the distinct backgrounds of those bearing it, giving rise to a vast network of unique Kissling family histories.

Kissling: Where does the name Kissling come from?

Kissling is a surname of German or Swiss origin. It is most commonly found in Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. In Germany, the frequency of the surname is highest in the state of Berlin. In Switzerland, it is most common in the Sankt Gallen and Zürich cantons. It is also found in the United States, primarily among individuals who immigrated from these countries in the 19th or later centuries.

In the United States, Kissling is most common in Wisconsin, which is home to the biggest population of ethnic Germans living outside of Germany. The neighboring states of Minnesota and Iowa also house sizeable populations of people with the surname. There is also a large population of Americans with the Kissling surname living in or near Pennsylvania Dutch country, which was settled in colonial times by German and Swiss immigrants.

In addition to the United States, Kissling is also found in Canada, particularly in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia (this is largely due to migration from Europe in the mid-late 20th century). The surname is also found in many other countries, including Australia, Mexico, Argentina and Venezuela. All in all, Kissling is still a common surname in the areas it originated in, and is steadily spread around the world today.

Variations of the surname Kissling

The surname Kissling has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Some of the variations include: Kisslingen, Kiesling, Kissling, Kisinger, Kinsling, Kisslinger, Kieselyng, Kieseling, Kizeling, Kisseling, Kirstling, Kastling, Kistling, Kisling, and Keislen.

Kissling is a German surname that originated in Bavaria. It derived from the Middle High German word “kissel” which means “little kiss”. This surname was used to refer to a family of small build or stature, which is a common characteristic of Bavarian families. There have also been references to the Kissling family as “little sweethearts”, based on the meaning of the word “kissel”.

The variants, spellings and surnames of Kissling can be attributed to the families who immigrated to other countries. Those who moved to the United States changed their surname to fit the English linguistic norms as well as to differentiate themselves from the huge number of German immigrants in the area. It is also possible that the spelling of Kissling may have changed throughout its history due to the changing of pronunciation in different sociolects.

Kissling is also associated with other German surnames such as Kiese, Kissmann, Kissel, and Kistel. These surnames are derived from Middle High German dialects and can be seen as varying permutations of the Kissling name. The spelling variations have also been largely attributed to changing sociolects and the influence of other languages.

Overall, the surname Kissling has a wide variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Its long history is visible through the intimate connection of a pre-industrial German society which can still be seen today.

Famous people with the name Kissling

• Karl Kissling: Swiss theologian and composer active in the early 15th century
• Karl Kissling: German illustrator and painter active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
• Reinhard Kissling: German filmmaker and screenwriter active from the late 1980s to the present
• Jürgen Kissling: German biologist and ecologist active in the mid 20th century
• Hans Kissling: Swiss lawyer active in the early 20th century
• Andreas Kissling: German sculptor active in the mid 20th century
• Ralph Kissling: Swiss professor active in the early 20th century
• Peter Kissling: Swiss short-track speed-skater and Olympic bronze medalist
• Hugo Kissling: Swiss balloonist active in the early 20th century
• Joseph Kissling: Swiss priest and scholar active in the late 19th century
• Wilhelm Kissling: German pianist active in the early 20th century
• Carl Kissling: Swiss military general active in the mid 19th century
• Ferdinand Kissling: German physicist active in the early 20th century
• Alfred Kissling: German scientist active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
• Fritz Kissling: Swiss sports shooter and Olympic bronze medalist in the mid 20th century
• Emma Kissling: Swiss educator and painter active in the late 19th century
• Gustave Kissling: Swiss painter active in the mid 19th century
• Antoine Kissling: Belgian painter active in the early 19th century
• Mathias Kissling: German businessman and pharmacist active in the late 19th century

Other surnames

KisslichKisslinger