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

Keltz, 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 Keltz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keltz in America

Keltz is the 36099th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keltz surname appeared 621 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 Keltz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keltz 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 Keltz

The surname Keltz is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German word "keliz" or "kelch," which means "chalice" or "cup." The name likely originated in various regions of Germany during the medieval period, sometime between the 11th and 13th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Keltz can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval charters and documents from the region of Saxony, Germany. In a document dated 1247, a certain "Heinrich Keltz" is mentioned as a witness to a land transaction.

The Keltz surname also appears in several other historical records from various parts of Germany during the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, a "Johannes Keltz" is listed in a tax register from the city of Cologne in 1311, while a "Peter Keltz" is recorded as a landowner in the village of Bamberg in 1386.

As the name Keltz spread throughout Germany and neighboring regions, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Kelz, Kelzer, and Keltzer. Some of these variations may have been influenced by local dialects or scribal errors in record-keeping.

One notable individual who bore the Keltz surname was Johann Keltz (1568-1638), a German Lutheran theologian and author from Saxony. He wrote several works on theology and biblical exegesis, including a commentary on the Book of Revelation.

Another historical figure with the Keltz name was Hans Keltz (1492-1562), a German goldsmith and metalworker from Augsburg. He is known for his intricate and ornate metalwork designs, which were highly sought after by nobility and wealthy patrons throughout Europe.

In the 16th century, the Keltz surname also appeared in various parts of Switzerland, likely due to migration from neighboring German regions. One notable Swiss bearer of the name was Jakob Keltz (1520-1587), a Protestant reformer and theologian from Basel.

The name Keltz continued to spread and evolve over the centuries, with various branches of the family establishing roots in different parts of Europe and beyond. While the exact origins and early history of the name remain somewhat obscure, it is clear that the Keltz surname has a rich and diverse heritage, with roots stretching back to medieval Germany and ties to various professions, from metalworking to theology.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keltz

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

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

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

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