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Help[Facts] Re: I need the meaning of the name kelsey
in reply to a message by David Kiesey
I am related to the Kiesey family, and my great grandfather is one of the “13” children from William Kiesey. My grandmother would mention that the family originated in Ohio, and that the surname had changed from the original Giesey. I never knew why it changed. (Apparently it changed with William)
My side of the family always thought we were Irish. Any chance they said they were from Ireland to cover the German roots? And therefore the name change from Giesey to Kiesey? Anyone in Iowa know as that was where the Kiesey family name just popped up.
My side of the family always thought we were Irish. Any chance they said they were from Ireland to cover the German roots? And therefore the name change from Giesey to Kiesey? Anyone in Iowa know as that was where the Kiesey family name just popped up.
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Replies
The date given for the change doesn't fit. German Americans didn't feel as much pressure to assimilate and downplay their German roots until WWII (unlike the UK where families changed their surnames around WWI). More likely Giesey was being continually mispronounced /djeesee/, and William changed it Kiesey to better approximate the pronunciation for English speakers (G and K are a voiced/unvoiced pair which are often allophones in many languages).
If it originated as a short form of Giesel it could have begun as a surname without any shortening of a dithematic personal name, either from the name of river in Saxony, or a variant of Geisel/Geißel, "hostage, guarantee, pledge" or the homonym Geisel/Geißel "whip, crop, scourge" (originally a short staff or cane, a symbol of office in Lombardy).
If it originated as a short form of Giesel it could have begun as a surname without any shortening of a dithematic personal name, either from the name of river in Saxony, or a variant of Geisel/Geißel, "hostage, guarantee, pledge" or the homonym Geisel/Geißel "whip, crop, scourge" (originally a short staff or cane, a symbol of office in Lombardy).
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