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ArchivesOrigin of this last name?
I have a friend, and her last name is Chrisman, she was wondering where it came from.
The story behind it is that her original last name is Norwegian (Original is Jorganson, spelled differently ofc)
But her ancestors were sponsored to come to the US, and instead of saying their last name at Ellis island, they said their sponsors last name. (They were sponsored by Chrisman Farms)
Any ideas?
The story behind it is that her original last name is Norwegian (Original is Jorganson, spelled differently ofc)
But her ancestors were sponsored to come to the US, and instead of saying their last name at Ellis island, they said their sponsors last name. (They were sponsored by Chrisman Farms)
Any ideas?
This message was edited 9/9/2024, 7:44 AM
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Replies
Derived from the word "Christ" combined with the suffix "-man." So, the surname "Chrisman" literally means "servant of Christ" or "follower of Christ".
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As always, it is not that literal in actual etymology. Christmann is the most cases derived from the given name Christian, shortened to Christ and than suffixed with "mann"—thus a man belonging to the household of Chris, maybe a descendant. The name has a striking geographic concentration in southwestern Germany (Pfalz and Rheinhessen regions of Rhineland-Palatinate). Chrismann is an attested variant of Christmann, it probably lost its last n on American soil.
See:
Dräger, Kathrin, Christmann, in: Digitales Familiennamenwörterbuch Deutschlands,
URL: < http://www.namenforschung.net/id/name/1042/1 >
See:
Dräger, Kathrin, Christmann, in: Digitales Familiennamenwörterbuch Deutschlands,
URL: < http://www.namenforschung.net/id/name/1042/1 >
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The standard spelling in Norwegian would be Jørgensen (a variant would be possible as well) and it originated as a patronymic of Jørgen, the Norwegian equivalent of George.
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