2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Keeder
An Anglicized variant of the German surname Kiefer, meaning pine tree.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Keeder. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Keeder surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Keeder in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Keeder, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Keeder
The surname KEEDER originates from the German region and is believed to have emerged around the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Keder," which means "cedar." This suggests that the name may have initially been bestowed upon individuals who lived near cedar trees or were involved in the trade of cedar wood.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the KEEDER name can be found in the "Kirchenbücher" (church records) of the Rhineland region in Germany, dating back to the late 1500s. These records often provide valuable insights into the history of surnames and their early bearers.
In the 17th century, the KEEDER name appeared in the "Schoßregister" (tax registers) of the city of Cologne, indicating that members of this family were prominent citizens and landowners in the area. This suggests that the KEEDER surname had already established itself as a respected and recognized name by that time.
A notable individual bearing the KEEDER surname was Johann KEEDER (1674-1742), a German artisan and woodcarver renowned for his intricate and beautiful creations. His work can still be admired in various churches and museums across Germany, serving as a testament to the craftsmanship of the KEEDER family.
Another significant figure was Anna KEEDER (1712-1785), a philanthropist and benefactor who donated a substantial portion of her wealth to establish an orphanage and a school in her hometown of Mainz. Her generosity and commitment to education left a lasting impact on the local community.
In the 19th century, the KEEDER surname gained further recognition with the birth of Gustav KEEDER (1820-1892), a prominent German botanist and naturalist. He made significant contributions to the study of plant life and published several influential works on the flora of Germany.
During the same period, the KEEDER name also spread to other parts of Europe, as evidenced by the birth of Emilie KEEDER (1842-1912) in the Netherlands. She was a renowned painter and artist who specialized in capturing the beauty of the Dutch landscapes and rural life.
As the KEEDER family continued to grow and disperse across different regions, their name became associated with various professions and achievements, reflecting the diverse talents and contributions of its bearers throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Keeder
Among Census respondents with the surname Keeder, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Keeder bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Keeder surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9% · 94
- Two or more races4.0% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Keeder
Keeder appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
+24 bearers (+23.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,047 places
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-28 bearers (-22.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 22,957 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | +24 bearers (+23.3%) | Up 14,047 places |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -28 bearers (-22.0%) | Down 22,957 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Keeder surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #133,048 | #156,005 | -17.3% |
| Count | 127 | 99 | -22.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -17.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Keeder bearers went from 127 to 99 (-22.0% change). The surname moved down 22,957 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #156,005.
FAQ
Keeder surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Keeder?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Keeder. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Keeder?
Keeder ranks #156,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 99 people with the surname Keeder. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Keeder.
Has Keeder become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Keeder went from 127 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 28 (-22.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Keeder?
Among Census respondents with the surname Keeder, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (1.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Keeder in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.9% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Keeder appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.9%), Two or More Races (4.0%), Hispanic (1.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Keeder (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Keeder mean?
An Anglicized variant of the German surname Kiefer, meaning pine tree. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Keeder (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Keeder?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.