On the analytic extension of Stirling numbers of the first kind.

We present an analytic extension of the unsigned Stirling numbers of the first kind that is in a certain sense unique in its coincidence with the Stirling polynomials. We examine and compare our extension to previous extensions of (signed) Stirling numbers of the first kind given by Butzer et al. (2007, J. Difference Equ. Appl., 13) and of the unsigned numbers given by Adamchik (1997, J. Comput. Appl. Math., 79). We also see a connection to the Riemann zeta function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]