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

Keesler, 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 Keesler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keesler in America

Keesler is the 15931st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keesler surname appeared 1,824 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Keesler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keesler 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 Keesler

The surname Keesler is of German origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the German word "Kessel," which means "kettle" or "cauldron." This suggests that the name may have been derived from an occupation or trade related to metalworking or cooking.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Keesler can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Germany, in the year 1573. The name was spelled "Kessler" at that time, which was a common variation of the spelling. It is also possible that the name is derived from a place name, as there are several villages in Germany with names similar to "Kessel" or "Kessler."

In the 17th century, the name Keesler appeared in various German church records and parish registers. One notable figure was Johann Keesler, a blacksmith born in Mainz, Germany, in 1642. His occupation as a metalworker aligns with the potential occupational origin of the surname.

As German families immigrated to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas, the name Keesler spread to different regions. In the 18th century, records show variations of the name, such as "Keissler" and "Keyzler," appearing in areas of modern-day Austria and Switzerland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Keesler in the United States can be found in the 1790 census, where a family with the surname was listed as residing in Pennsylvania. This suggests that German immigrants with the name had already established themselves in the newly formed nation.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Keesler. One such figure was August Keesler (1832-1901), a German-born American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Keesler Brewing Company in New York City. Another was Hermann Keesler (1858-1928), a German architect known for his work on several iconic buildings in Berlin.

In the 20th century, Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, was named after Samuel Robins Keesler Jr. (1890-1936), a highly decorated American aviator and military officer who served in World War I and played a significant role in the development of the United States Air Force.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keesler

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

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 Keesler 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 Keesler 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 Keesler was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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