Kelcher last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Kelcher

An occupational surname derived from the German word "kelch" or "kelcher," meaning a cup-maker or chalice-maker.

Kelcher, 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 Kelcher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kelcher in America

Kelcher is the 135593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kelcher surname appeared 124 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Kelcher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kelcher 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 135593 101654 28.61%
Count 124 164 -27.78%
Proportion per 100k 0.04 0.06 -40.00%

The history of the last name Kelcher

The surname Kelcher is of German origin, originating in the southern regions of Germany around the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the old German word "Kelch," meaning "chalice" or "cup." This could suggest that the name was initially associated with a profession or trade related to the production or use of chalices or cups.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kelcher can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Germany, dating back to the late 16th century. A certain Hans Kelcher was recorded as a resident of the city in 1592. Additionally, there are mentions of the name Kelcher in various church records and tax rolls from the surrounding regions during the same period.

In the 17th century, the name Kelcher appeared in several historical documents in the region of Bavaria. Notably, a Johann Kelcher was listed as a landowner in the village of Oberammergau in 1643. This village is renowned for its traditional Passion Play, which has been performed every ten years since the 17th century.

The name Kelcher has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Wilhelm Kelcher, a German philosopher and scholar who lived from 1784 to 1862. He was renowned for his work on ethics and moral philosophy, and his writings had a significant influence on the intellectual circles of his time.

Another prominent figure with the surname Kelcher was Anna Kelcher, a German painter who lived from 1828 to 1891. She was known for her landscapes and portrait paintings, and her works were exhibited in several prestigious galleries across Europe during the 19th century.

In the 20th century, Karl Kelcher, a German engineer, made significant contributions to the field of automotive engineering. He was born in 1901 and worked for several renowned automotive companies, including Daimler-Benz and BMW, where he played a crucial role in the development of innovative engine designs and vehicle technologies.

It is also worth mentioning that the name Kelcher has been associated with several place names in Germany. For instance, the village of Kelchsau in Bavaria, which dates back to the 13th century, derives its name from the old German word "Kelch," suggesting a possible connection to the surname Kelcher.

While the name Kelcher may not be as widely known as some other German surnames, its history and origins are deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic heritage of southern Germany, stretching back several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kelcher

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

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 Kelcher was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 97.58% 121
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 0.00% 0

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 Kelcher has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 97.58% 98.78% -1.22%
Black 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Kelcher last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 11, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/kelcher-surname-popularity/.

"Kelcher last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/kelcher-surname-popularity/. Accessed 11 August, 2025

Kelcher last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/kelcher-surname-popularity/.

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