Misspelled Names 

The Disinger name was recorded differently in various censuses, maps, and newspaper pieces. As mentioned elsewhere, the Disinger name was spelled differently many times, such as Deissinger, Deisinger, Tiesingen, Teisinger, and Dysinger, among others. Historians note that many immigrants couldn't spell their names because they didn't read or write English. Since the early Disingers likely spoke German and little English, the spelling of their names may have been influenced by their German accents. Additionally, if they signed their names in German cursive handwriting, American census takers and other officials likely had a problem deciphering their names, as shown in the example below.