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

Kellen, 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 Kellen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kellen in America

Kellen is the 20274th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kellen surname appeared 1,312 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 Kellen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kellen 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 Kellen

The surname Kellen is believed to have originated in Germany, where it first appeared in the 16th century. It is derived from the Old German word "kelle," which means "a small bowl or vessel." The name likely referred to someone who made or sold such vessels.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kellen can be found in the town records of Heidelberg, Germany, dating back to 1578. These records mention a Johannes Kellen, who was a potter by trade. Another early reference is from 1602, when a Matthias Kellen is listed as a resident of Mainz, a city in western Germany.

In the 17th century, the name Kellen began to spread to other parts of Europe, particularly the Netherlands and England. In 1632, a Dutch merchant named Pieter Kellen is recorded as having traded goods between Amsterdam and London. Around the same time, an Englishman named William Kellen is mentioned in a land deed in the county of Somerset, England.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Kellen was Hans Kellen, a German artist who lived from 1502 to 1580. He was renowned for his intricate wood carvings and sculptures, many of which can still be found in churches throughout Bavaria.

Another notable figure was Johann Christoph Kellen, a German composer and organist who lived from 1638 to 1704. He is best known for his choral works and church music, which were highly influential in the Baroque period.

In the 18th century, the name Kellen appeared in various parts of Europe, including France and Italy. A French military officer named Louis Kellen fought in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Légion d'Honneur for his bravery in battle.

One of the most prominent individuals with the surname Kellen was Friedrich Kellen, a German philosopher and political theorist who lived from 1850 to 1924. He was a critic of nationalism and wrote extensively on the role of the state in modern society.

Another notable figure was Katharina Kellen, a German-born philanthropist who lived from 1858 to 1932. She and her husband, Otto, donated a significant portion of their wealth to various educational and cultural institutions in the United States, including the Kellen Auditorium at the New School for Social Research in New York City.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kellen

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

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

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

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