Croissant — thank Vienna, not France

Across various accounts of croissant history, most sources agree that it originates from Austria as the kipferl. Made from a yeasted wheat dough, the kipferl is a baked bread roll common in Central Europe. Records state that the kipferl has been around as early as the 13th century, but many believe it may be even older. 

The earliest recorded introduction of the kipferl to France occurred in 1839, when Austrian artillery officer August Zang founded a Viennese bakery in Paris. Parisians fell in love with the kipferl (and with Viennese baking as a whole), and imitated the bread in their own shops. The name "croissant" also began appearing in historical record, referring to the crescent shape of the bread. 

In 1915, Sylvain Claudius Goy recorded the first-known French version of the croissant recipe. Instead of brioche dough, as August Zang used, Goy transformed the recipe to use a laminated yeast dough. Lamination involves folding butter and dough to create thin, flaky layers of pastry.

Source: Institute of Culinary Education