From Eberhard and Ruth Reichmann's teaching unit: German-Americans and Their Contributions to the American Mainstream Culture: German Names and Words:

Many people think that hamburger originally was a burger with ham in it or on it. Hamburger is derived from the German city of Hamburg. The original name of the fried meat patty was hamburger steak, meaning a steak the way they ate it in Hamburg (the Germans call it "deutsches Beefsteak"). The word burger which came from hamburger, led to cheese- burger, veggieburger, Burger King, etc. Hamburger steak (without the bun) is said to have been sold by a German street vendor in New York in the 1870s - possibly on Coney Island. Another source states that the hamburger was introduced by a native of Hamburg at the St. Louis World's Fair.

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