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

Keller, 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 Keller surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keller in America

Keller is the 317th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keller surname appeared 98,268 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 33 people would have the surname Keller.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keller 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 Keller

The surname Keller has its origins in Germany and Switzerland, where it first emerged as an occupational name for a cellar worker or wine steward. The name derives from the Middle High German word 'kellaere,' which means 'cellar master' or 'keeper of the wine cellar.' The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century in various German and Swiss regions.

In Germany, the name Keller can be traced back to historical records such as the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, which mentions individuals with the surname Keller in the 14th century. One notable individual was Konrad Keller, a merchant from Nuremberg who lived in the late 15th century.

The Keller name was also prominent in Switzerland, particularly in the canton of Zurich, where it is believed to have originated. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in Switzerland is found in the Ratsbücher (Council Books) of the city of Zurich, where a Heinrich Keller is mentioned in 1357.

During the Middle Ages, the Keller surname was often associated with the wine trade and vineyard ownership. Many individuals with this name were involved in the production and distribution of wine, reflecting the occupational origin of the surname.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Keller surname was Hans Keller, a Swiss Reformer and theologian born in 1498 in Unterwalden, Switzerland. He played a significant role in the Swiss Reformation and worked alongside Ulrich Zwingli.

Another prominent individual with the Keller surname was Gottfried Keller, a Swiss writer and poet born in 1819 in Zurich. He is considered one of the most influential figures in Swiss literature and is renowned for his literary works such as "Green Henry" and "The People of Seldwyla."

In the United States, the Keller surname gained prominence with Helen Keller, the renowned author, activist, and lecturer who was born in 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Despite being deaf and blind, Helen Keller overcame numerous challenges and became an inspiration to many through her advocacy for people with disabilities.

Other notable individuals with the Keller surname include Otto Keller, a German-American artist and sculptor born in 1906, and Albert Gallatin Keller, an American businessman and industrialist born in 1846, who played a significant role in the early development of the American steel industry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keller

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!