Find out how popular the last name Keeler is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Keeler.

Keeler, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Keeler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keeler in America

Keeler is the 3124th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keeler surname appeared 11,546 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Keeler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keeler to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Keeler

The surname Keeler is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "cȳlre," which means "chalker" or "lime-burner." This occupational name was given to those who worked with lime or chalk, likely referring to those involved in the production of lime for building or agricultural purposes.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the late 12th century in Norfolk, England. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John le Kylere, mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Norfolk in 1198. The name also appears in various other historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1202, where a Thomas le Kelere is listed.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in its more modern spelling of Keeler, as evidenced by records from Cambridgeshire mentioning a Richard Keeler in 1273. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, where many places derived their names from the Old English word "cȳlre," such as Kilverstone in Norfolk.

One notable individual bearing the Keeler surname was John Keeler (c. 1590-1664), an English settler who arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 1600s. He was among the founders of the town of Boylston, Massachusetts, and his descendants played a significant role in the region's development.

Another prominent figure was Samuel Keeler (1661-1753), an American colonial militia officer and politician from Connecticut. He served as a deputy to the Connecticut General Assembly and was involved in the defense of the colony during the French and Indian War.

In the literary world, Ruby Keeler (1909-1993) was an American actress, dancer, and singer who rose to fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood musicals. She is best known for her performances in films such as 42nd Street (1933) and Footlight Parade (1933).

Ralph Keeler (1914-1987) was an American architect who designed numerous notable buildings in the Southwestern United States, including the Phoenix Art Museum and the Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

The Keeler surname has also been associated with scientific achievements. James Edward Keeler (1857-1900) was an American astrophysicist and pioneering spectroscopist who made significant contributions to the study of stellar spectra and the discovery of the Keeler Gap in Saturn's rings.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keeler

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Keeler.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Keeler was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Keeler has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Keeler was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Keeler, please contact us.

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