This most interesting surname, is a Low German name, that is found in Northern Germany closely related to Dutch, and derives from the Latin "Christianus", meaning "follower of Christ". It is a patronymic form ("-ing" ending) of "Kerst", itself a diminutive of "Kriesten", which is cognate with the English surname "Christian", deriving from an Old French personal name "Christian", of the same Latin origin as above. Other Low German surnames from this source include "Kisting, Kasting and Kirschkes", which are patronymics, as well as "Kirsten, Kirstan and Kirstein". The Church Registers of early German States record the following entries of the surname: the marriage of Bernhard Kersting and Katharina Alsfeld on June 4th 1649 at Grebeustein, Hessen-Nassan; the marriage of Catarinen Kersting and Johan Wehren on October 13th 1661 at Heiden, Lippe; the christening of Henrich Kersting, also at Heiden, on December 29th 1672, while Catharina Elisabeth, daughter of Jobst and Elisabeth Kersting, was christened in May 1695. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hans Kersting, which was dated March 15th 1620, marriage at Moers, Rheinland (Germany), during the reign of King Ferdinland 11, known as "The Hapsburg Emperor", 1619 - Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.1637.