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Reiswig Family in Denmark?

Replies: 9

Reiswig Family in Denmark?

Posted: 26 Dec 2013 10:58AM GMT
Classification: Query
My father's side of the family were Reiswig (also spelled a variety of other ways, including Reusswig). They were supposedly Germans from Russia. They did in fact come to the United States from the Odessa region of Russia in the 1870s with that wave of immigration. I had always thought they were German (Prussian to be exact), but possibly Dutch before being in Germany.
Imagine my surprise to find that my DNA profile was 45% Scandinavian, with only 11% being Europe West and 9% Europe East.
I know my mother's lineage all the way back to about the 1600s and it was all British Isles with a touch of French thrown in. So expected something like 45% British Isles with a nod to West Europe for the French, and since I am blonde and blue-eyed, figured maybe a 5% Viking in the woodpile somewhere? Turned out to be 8% British Isles!
On my dad's mother's side, I can trace it all the way back to 1600s from Russia (mennonite) via Germany, Holland, and originally Austria.
I talked to my brother about this surprising discovery and he said that he had spoken with someone in the family who said the Reiswig family originally came from Denmark, but that he thought it was just something they said to avoid anti-German sentiment during WWI.
Has anyone else ever heard of the Reiswig family starting in Denmark? Like I said, I was VERY surprised by the 45% Scandinavian, since except for the Reiswig side I have documentation for the other three sides of my family and none of it is Scandinavian (although of course the British Isles part most certainly could account for part of that).
Reiswig (pronounced Rice wig) could have had a very different spelling as well.
Any comments or thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!
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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