Keller
A surname with several roots, most often from German for a cellarer or tavern keeper.
The #317 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 3,142 Americans shares it.
Etymology
In German, Keller is linked to words for a cellarer, tavern keeper, or butler, ultimately going back to Latin 'cellarius,' meaning a storekeeper or cellarer. That makes it an occupational surname in the German-speaking world. The name can also appear in Irish surname lists as an anglicized or assimilated form associated with O'Kelliher and related names, so not every Keller has the same origin.
History
Historical records show Keller in medieval England as well as in German contexts, which fits both occupational use and possible immigrant or place-based surnames. In English sources, early bearers such as 'le Keller' suggest an occupational byname. In Irish materials, Keller is noted as a variant associated with surnames like O'Kelliher, showing that the spelling could arise through different naming traditions.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The related German surname Kellner originally meant something closer to 'waiter' or 'barman' than to the modern meaning of 'cellar.'
From the historical record
“KELLER \ (Ger.) Cellarer; Tavern- KELLNER J Keeper; Butler [M.H.Ger. kellcere, kelnare; Lat. cellarius, store- keeper, cellarer] In mod. Ger. kellerer = ' keeper of a cellar or tavern ' ; kellner = ' barman,' ' tapster,' ' waiter '; kellermeister (lit. ' cellar- master ')'= 'butler.' KERN (Ger.) Excellent, Choice…”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Keller
- Helen Keller (1880–1968)
- Gottfried Keller (1819–1890)
- Karin Keller-Sutter (b. 1963)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.