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Reiswig Family in Denmark?

Replies: 9

Re: Reiswig Family in Denmark?

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 12:24PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 1 Mar 2014 6:49AM GMT
Hi, I see no one has answered so I'll give it a whirl. Problem here is that the query is very general. You'd have to start with a specific known individual in your family tree and trace him/her back in time to discover the origins of all his/her ancestors.

Your family story says the Reiswig side were "Germans from Russia." When I hear this term used, I think of the Germans who were invited by Catherine the Great to settle in Russia in the late 1600s. The program was not dissimilar to the Homestead program in America in the mid-1800s. That wave of Germans who journeyed to Russia settled in colonies that retained their German identity regardless they were living surrounded by Russia. So... is that who you mean? That lineage would go from the USA, back in time to Russia, and back yet more in time to Germany in the 1600s.

Your DNA will find its partners many centuries back and to provide the paper trail making the links is a long process that probably cannot be addressed in one query in a forum like this.

On the other hand, the mix up of Denmark and Germany is more recent, and whether it applies to you guys, who knows, as again one would need the specifics of individuals. At the border between Germany/Prussia and the mainland of Denmark (peninsula of Jutland) were two duchies, Schleswig and Holsten, that changed hands from Denmark to Germany (see war of 1864) and people born there in the 1800s, who emigrated, often can be found listed in USA records as either Danish or German or both (in different records).

Often times "w" is a German way of spelling and "v" a Danish way of spelling the same word. It's possible a Danish spelling could be "Reisvig" or "Reisvick."

Here's an example of a Reiswig family in that borderline area, near present-day Germany. As you can see the language used here is German:

1803 Danish census
Sydslesvig, , Schleswig Domsogn, 8.Quartier, 218/219, 1230, FT-1803, C0233
Anna Gernota Doroth: Carlsen 85 Witwe Miethling erhält Armgeld
Ida Margrethe Dorothea Carlsen 43 Unverheir. ihre Tochter
Joh: Georg Reiswig 65 Verheir. Miethsm: erhält Armgeld
Anna Groskob 42 Verheir. dessen Frau erhält Armgeld
Charlotta Christina Reiswig 13 Unverheir. ihre Tochter

Just an example - nothing more - many other families with this name.

So is it possible that an American could be descended from a Reiswig family of Denmark? You bet. Does that apply to you? That remains to be determined!

Here is a link to a family tree that shows Reiswig family members born in Russia who emigrated to USA. Again, only an example - you haven't mentioned and we haven't gone into the details of who YOUR family members were. As you can see this family tree repeats many of the same names as the family in Sydslesvig (south Schleswig, census above).

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&d...

The Germans from Russia are a well researched minority and a national society that has studied these immigrants is headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Many research materials are available on their website and on CD.

Here's a link to a "Reiswig" surname chart that was commissioned by a Reiswig descendant; this Reiswig family settled in Walter, Russia (I think that would mean Walter, Saranov, Russia, which is in the Volga settlement).
REISWIG [cyrillic] - chart (village of Walter)
http://ahsgr.org/Find_Your_Ancestors/Surname_Charts/surname_...

Many more resources listed on the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia website main page.

I know little of DNA testing so won't try to discuss how any of this applies to your DNA test! I'll have to do more reading about that than the little I have done, to date. I will say that it is my understanding that DNA is not an equal opportunity giver. Your DNA profile does not fairly represent all your ancestors, as you inherited more DNA from some than from others. As for the British Isles - you know that many Scandinavians iinvaded/settled there and some or all of your British Isles ancestors could have Scandinavian ancestry.

The trick with the Reiswigs is, you have to trace back your specific folks.

Hope this helps.
SubjectAuthorDate Posted
WendyBailey28 26 Dec 2013 5:58PM GMT 
falsterden 28 Feb 2014 7:24PM GMT 
WendyBailey28 28 Feb 2014 9:43PM GMT 
falsterden 28 Feb 2014 10:16PM GMT 
WendyBailey28 28 Feb 2014 11:04PM GMT 
falsterden 28 Feb 2014 11:15PM GMT 
falsterden 1 Mar 2014 12:59AM GMT 
falsterden 1 Mar 2014 1:24AM GMT 
WendyBailey28 1 Mar 2014 5:37AM GMT 
falsterden 2 Mar 2014 12:10AM GMT 
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