I think what vampirdaddy meant is that the word "hamburger" for a meat patty (beef/pork or mixed) to a German seems (re-)"imported" from the US. In Hamburg said patties are traditionally called "Frikadelle". Another German term I know for them is "Bullette". The term hamburger for them (re-)appeared with the introduction of US-based fast food chain restaurants.
Sib's etymology search seems to explain that the name did originally migrate to the US from Germany though, which I could neither support nor refute.
"Hamburger" in general certainly does mean "from/in Hamburg", as witnessed e.g. by the sea shanty line: "Ick heff mol een Hamburger Veermaster seen..." (I once saw a 4-mast ship from Hamburg in literal translation.) People originating from or living in Hamburg (e.g. myself & katyhh) are referred to as Hamburgers.
Sidenote: German "Burg" = castle/fortress. Hamburg derives from "Hammaburg", built around 810AD by the Karolingians as a military base to defend against tribes in the north: "Ham", old saxon for marshy area or area by a river "burg", fortress/castle - in this case a defensive enclosure surrounded by an earther dyke.
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Sib's etymology search seems to explain that the name did originally migrate to the US from Germany though, which I could neither support nor refute.
"Hamburger" in general certainly does mean "from/in Hamburg", as witnessed e.g. by the sea shanty line: "Ick heff mol een Hamburger Veermaster seen..." (I once saw a 4-mast ship from Hamburg in literal translation.) People originating from or living in Hamburg (e.g. myself &
Sidenote: German "Burg" = castle/fortress.
Hamburg derives from "Hammaburg", built around 810AD by the Karolingians as a military base to defend against tribes in the north:
"Ham", old saxon for marshy area or area by a river
"burg", fortress/castle - in this case a defensive enclosure surrounded by an earther dyke.