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

Ketelsen, 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 Ketelsen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ketelsen in America

Ketelsen is the 23817th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ketelsen surname appeared 1,061 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 Ketelsen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ketelsen 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 Ketelsen

The surname KETELSEN is believed to have originated in Germany, likely in the northern regions around the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "ketel," which referred to a small, shallow basin or cauldron. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname for someone who worked with kettles or cauldrons, perhaps a metalsmith or a maker of these vessels.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KETELSEN can be found in the parish records of St. Nikolai Church in Hamburg, Germany, where a certain Hans Ketelsen was listed as a resident in the year 1587. It is possible that the name had already been in use for some time before this record, as surnames were not consistently recorded until the late Middle Ages.

Another early mention of the KETELSEN name can be traced back to a document from the Duchy of Holstein in 1612, where a man named Claus Ketelsen is recorded as having been involved in a land dispute. This suggests that the name was also present in the northern German regions during this period.

In terms of notable individuals bearing the KETELSEN surname, one figure of historical significance was Johann Ketelsen, a German merchant and trader who lived in the 17th century. Born in 1625 in the town of Stade, Ketelsen established a successful trading company that dealt in various goods, including textiles and spices. He played a significant role in promoting trade between Germany and the Netherlands during his lifetime, which spanned from 1625 to 1692.

Another individual of note was Christoph Ketelsen, a German composer and organist who lived in the 18th century. Born in 1719 in the city of Lübeck, Ketelsen composed several works for the organ and is remembered for his contributions to the rich musical tradition of northern Germany. He passed away in 1789.

In the 19th century, a figure named Wilhelm Ketelsen gained recognition as a prominent educator and advocate for educational reform in Germany. Born in 1812 in the town of Kiel, Ketelsen dedicated his life to improving the quality of education for children, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds. He worked tirelessly to promote the idea of free and compulsory education for all, and his efforts were instrumental in shaping the modern German educational system. Ketelsen passed away in 1887.

Moving into the 20th century, a notable individual bearing the KETELSEN surname was Gerhard Ketelsen, a German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). Born in 1923 in Hamburg, Ketelsen served as a member of the Bundestag (the German federal parliament) from 1969 to 1987, representing the city-state of Hamburg. He was actively involved in various political and social issues during his time in office, including housing policy and urban development. Gerhard Ketelsen passed away in 1998.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ketelsen

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

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

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

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