In German, Geist means "spirit" or "ghost".  Although families bearing this name are few in comparison to other surnames, I have been surprised to see a good number of them listed on the Web.  Our "Geist Family" is believed to have originated in Germany. However, my Great Grandfather Peter Geist was raised in Alysse Lorraine, France.  My Great Grandfather came to this country in the mid 19th century.  It is believed that he settled in Chicago for a time, although there is some data indicating that some of his brothers migrated to the southern part of Illinois and even to St. Louis, MO.

He left the Chicago area to start a Butcher Shop in Colby, WI and later he moved to Boyd, WI with his Butcher Shop.  My Grandfather farmed in the Boyd area all of his life.  He passed away at the age of 98.  The farm still remains in the family

My father moved to a neighboring community where he farmed, logged, and worked at the paper mill in Cornell.  My mother came from Lublin, WI, which is a Russian/Polish settlement similiar to that found in Poland.  Both of my parents passed away in 1998.  My mother was 85 and my father was 93.  My mother suffered for many years with Alzheimers.  This is a terrible disease that can consume a family.  If you would like to share information please feel free to contact me at: dgeist@centurytel.net


Information on:   Geist Surname

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