Kirschner
A German occupational surname meaning a maker or seller of fur garments.
The #7,377 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 68,352 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Kirschner is a German occupational surname related to older forms such as Kürschner, meaning a furrier or maker of fur clothing. The older word goes back to Middle High German kürsen and Old High German chursinna, referring to a fur garment or pelts. The spelling Kirschner reflects regional pronunciation and spelling variation, especially in parts of central Germany.
History
Historical sources note that Kirschner is a regional spelling and pronunciation variant of Kürschner, with the form especially associated with central Germany, including Saxony. Like many occupational surnames, it would originally have identified a person by trade and then become hereditary over time. The name remains relatively uncommon but is well established in German-speaking surname tradition.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some historical records explicitly note that Kirschner was pronounced as a local variant of Kürschner rather than being a completely separate name.
From the historical record
“Kttrsehner III. mhd. kürsenaere, vom ahd. chursinna, mhd. kürsen „Pelzkleid**. In Mitteldeutschland (Sachsen) Kirschner ge- sprochen. FN. Kürschner; in älterer F. Kürssener. Kkrschner — Kirschner — Oirsehner”
— Die deutschen Familiennamen