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

Kellar, 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 Kellar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kellar in America

Kellar is the 6613th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kellar surname appeared 5,120 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Kellar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kellar 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 Kellar

The surname Kellar is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "kellære," meaning "cellar-master" or "cellarman." It first emerged in the 13th century in the region of Bavaria, where many individuals were employed in the wine and beer trade, overseeing the storage and distribution of these beverages from underground cellars.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kellar can be found in the Annals of Regensburg, a chronicle detailing the history of the city of Regensburg, Bavaria, from the 6th to the 12th century. The entry from 1286 mentions a "Heinrich Kellar," who was a prominent merchant and burgher of the city.

In the 15th century, the Kellar family gained prominence in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a well-preserved medieval town in Bavaria. Johannes Kellar (1432-1505) was a respected lawyer and served as the town's legal advisor for several decades.

As the name spread across central Europe, it underwent various spellings, such as Keller, Keler, and Kellner. One notable figure from this era was Hans Kellner (1470-1512), a German Renaissance artist and engraver from Nuremberg, renowned for his intricate woodcuts and engravings.

In the 17th century, the Kellar name found its way to the New World. Johann Kellar (1620-1688) was among the earliest German immigrants to Pennsylvania, arriving in the 1680s as part of the German Palatine migration. He settled in Germantown, Philadelphia, and his descendants played a significant role in the development of the region.

Another notable individual bearing the Kellar surname was Harry Kellar (1849-1922), an American magician and illusionist who was one of the most famous performers of his time. He was born Heinrich Keller in Erie, Pennsylvania, and achieved great success touring both the United States and Europe with his elaborate stage shows.

Throughout its long history, the surname Kellar has been associated with various professions, from wine merchants and lawyers to artists and entertainers. Its roots can be traced back to the cellars of medieval Bavaria, where the name first emerged as a reflection of the occupation of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kellar

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

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

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

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