Kisabeth Historical Review
Like the spelling variant Küspert it is very difficult to actually place a date on the original spelling of this name. We find the name spelled Kisperth in Berlin and even Kiespert in Oklahoma, both from Kispert.
Kispert like Küspert has its beginnings in the Fichtelgebirge area of Upper Franconia, Bavaria. Regional, local or even family dialect seems to responsible for an individual taking Kispert or Küspert as most experts agree that they are virtually the same name. We cite a few examples of an immediate family using Kispert or Küspert interchangeably:
Johann Heinrich Küspert (1839) was the son of John Matthaus Kispert.
Johann Georg Küspert (1839) was the son Andres Kispert.
Johann Michael Küspert (1842) was the son of Johann Martin Kispert.
Stefan Casper Küspert's 5th great grandfather was Wolfgang Adam Kispert.
Nicholas Küspert on his marriage record (1842) but later used Kispert.
In the small town of Schönwald in the Fichtelgebirge there is a small guesthouse called “Ferienhaus Kispert”. This house, although under new management, has been in the Kispert family since 1768 starting with a Johann Wolfgang Kispert. What makes this small “haus” a landmark is that painted on the outside of the building is a Kispert coat-of -arms. The new ownership has very graciously provided us with a drawing and explanation of the Arms. It's origin is not known but the brief history is very interesting indeed. Translated into English it says:
“ The family Kispert, an ancient and honorable citizen/towns family, has a blue shield, a silver upright, to the left walking Griffin, which symbolizes wisdom and strength of the family. The closed helmet with the shield-figure present, bears witness of the proven descent of same. The family received the shield around the 14th century in Oberfranken(Upper Franconia). It is to be found in the historical department of the Heraldic Shield collection. B II 84.”
I have yet to find the specific source of this coat of arms but it demonstrates that the surname Kispert has been in the Fichtelgebirge area since the 1300's. One of the official books on family coat-of-arms is Reitstap. Our arms is recorded under the name Kispert but many Küsperts, Kisseberths and Kisabeths claim it as their arms also. It was granted in 1867 to Anna Kispert who married a Baron Von Lindenfels. Heraldeker (Herald researcher) Hans Limbacher of Nurnberg explains in detail our coat-of -arms and refers to both Küspert and Kispert. The motto of the coat-of-arms says, “ Nur der ehrt sich selbst, der seine Vorfahren ehrt,” when translated means “Only he can honor himself who honors his ancestors”!!!! There are over 120 telephone listings of Kisperts. Most in Germany, several families in Austria and numerous ones in America. Gene Kispert of Owatonna, Minnesota is our Kispert historian in America and I have a few Kisperts in Germany who have very graciously agreed to help in our continued research