Below is a list of the known Colonial era American Geiger families. Until otherwise proven we have to consider each one of them as a separate family although some may eventually prove to be related to one another. If your Colonial Geigers are missing from this page please tell us about them so that we may add them to our list. Joan M. Young
The known Geiger families and their progenitors are:
1. The Ittlingen, Germany,
Geigers who arrived in 1717 along with Rev.
Anthony Jacob Henckel. Valentine
Geiger emigrated with his brother John Georg. A third brother,
Jacob, arrived somewhat later. All settled initially in New Hanover Township,
Philadelphia County (now Montgomery County), Pennsylvania. Many descendants
of Johann Georg Geiger use the Kyger and Kiger surname today.
2. The Berwangen, Germany, Geigers
who may be related to the ones above and who arrived at various time during
the 1730s and 1740s. They are Johann Paul Geiger and his brother
Johannes; Johann Jacob Geiger; a second Johann Paul Geiger; and George
Geiger. All settled in Berks or Lancaster counties in Pennsylvania.
3. Christian
Geiger who arrived in 1737 on the Charming Nancy, and who died in
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
in 1779. Many of his descendants use the Kyger surname today.
4. Matthias
Geiger of Lembach, Alsace, France, who settled in Salem
County, New Jersey in 1738 after
arriving that year on the Two Sisters. All descendants of this line
today use the Kiger surname.
5. John
Adam Geiger born about 1736, probably in Germany, who settled in Rural
Hall, North Carolina by 1770. Descendants of this line now
use both the Keiger and Kiger spellings.
6. The Swiss
Geiger family who settled in the 1730s in the Orangeburg, South Carolina
area.
7. Adam Geiger (or Geyer) of Alsace
Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
8. Benjamin Kiger, the earliest
known ancestor of the Oregon Trail Pioneer
Kigers.
9. Charles Kiger, the earliest
provable ancestor of the Greene County, Pennsylvania
Kigers. * See the Kiger Kounter Newsletter
Article part I Article part II
10 John Kiger/Kyger who married
Sarah Parrish in Kentucky and their descendants.
11. George Kiger born in Pennsylvania,
lived in Virginia (in an area that is now in West Virginia) who was the
progenitor of the Amanda Township, Fairfield County, Ohio, Kigers.
12. John Christopher Kiger,
the progenitor of the Muncie Indiana Kigers.
13. The Berks County Pennsylvania
Gicker/Gücker family whose surname later evolved into Geiger.
14. Lewis Kiger of Belmont County,
Ohio and nearby West Virginia.
15. Bernard Geiger who first settled
in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and later moved to Harrisburg, Dauphin
County, Pennsylvania.
Copyright© 1998 by Joan M Young