KELLER
Keller is a surname of German provenance that has found a place within the British Isles, particularly England, where it is used by Christian families. The name entered English usage through migration and linguistic adaptation, and it is now recognised as an English surname in addition to its original German form.
Derivation of the surname traces back to the Middle High German word kellaere, meaning ‘cellar’ or ‘basement’. Consequently, the name has long been associated with dwelling near or working in a cellar, and it may also indicate a wine cellar worker or a person who made or sold cellars. In some cases, it functions as a topographic surname for those who lived near a depression or hollow in the ground.
In parallel, Keller is also an Anglicised variant of the Gaelic name O'Ceileachair, with alternate spellings such as Kelliher, Kalaher, and Kelleher. The Gaelic pre‑prefix O signifies a male descendant of a particular clan, and the personal byname Ceileachair means ‘companionable’ or ‘uxorious’.
The O'Ceileachair clan belonged to the Dal gCais, also called the Dalcassians, and occupied the ancient territory of Tuathmhumhan, which covered most of present‑day County Clare together with adjacent parts of Counties Limerick and Tipperary. The family asserts descent from Ceileachar, a nephew of Brian Boru, who reigned as High King of Ireland from 1002 to 1014. A pre‑surname figure, Maolmuire Mac Ceileachair, was a compiler of the medieval “Book of the Dun Cow.”
During the fourteenth century the clan departed its original homeland and settled in Counties Cork and Kerry, where the surname remains most frequent today.
Recorded evidence of the name in Ireland includes the christening of Cornelius, son of Andrew Keller and Mary Tuomey, in February 1855 at Ballyvourney Roman Catholic Church, County Cork, and the birth of Catherine Keller in 1865 in Boherbue, County Cork, the daughter of Daniel Keller and Catherine Rahilly. The earliest documented spelling of the family name is that of Donough O'Ceileachair, Bishop of Ossery, dated 1048, as noted in the “Ecclesiastical Records of Ireland.”
Typical given names associated with the Keller surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- Ian
- John
- Mark
- Matthew
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Philip
- Robert
- Thomas
Female
- Anna
- Anne
- Barbara
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Jacqueline
- Joanne
- Louise
- Nicola
- Rachel
- Sheila
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Caller
- Cailler
- Callier
- Caler
- Callear
- Callar
- Calleri
- Callero
- Cayler
- Kellar
- Keillor
- Kaehler
- Callyer
- Callor
- Kelle
- Cailer
- Calar
- Calara
- Caleiro
- Calero
- Caliari
- Callair
- Callara
- Callari
- Calliar
- Calliari
- Calor
- Calore
- Calori
- Calour
- Caluori
- Cauler
- Caulier
- Cawler
- Caylor
- Claar
- Clair
- Claire
- Clar
- Clara
- Clare
- Clari
- Clarie
- Claro
- Clarr
- Clayre
- Clear
- Cleare
- Clearie
- Clearo
- Cleer
- Cleere
- Cleir
- Cler
- Clere
- Clerie
- Clero
- Cleur
- Clire
- Cloer
- Cloire
- Clore
- Clour
- Cluer
- Clur
- Clure
- Cluro
- Cluroe
- Coaler
- Cohler
- Colairo
- Colar
- Colear
- Coleiro
- Coler
- Colier
- Colierr
- Collaire
- Collar
- Collear
- Colleer
- Colleir
- Coller
- Colliar
- Collier
- Collir
- Colllier
- Collor
- Collour
- Collura
- Cooler
- Coolier
- Couler
- Coulier
- Couller
- Cowler
- Coyler
- Cuellar
- Cullar
- Culler
- Cullier
- Culora
- Cuyler
- Gailer
- Gailor
- Galara
- Galaria
- Galer
- Galera
- Galier
- Gallear
- Galler
- Galleri
- Galliara
- Gallier
- Galliera
- Galor
- Galore
- Galoria
- Gauler
- Gaulier
- Gauller
- Gaullier
- Gawler
- Gaylar
- Gayler
- Gaylor
- Glaire
- Glare
- Glarie
- Glayre
- Glear
- Gleare
- Gliori
- Gloer
- Gloor
- Glor
- Glore
- Gloria
- Glorie
- Glouer
- Glour
- Goehler
- Goeller
- Gohlar
- Gohler
- Golar
- Goler
- Golier
- Gollar
- Goller
- Gollier
- Gollor
- Gouler
- Gowlar
- Gowler
- Goyler
- Gueller
- Guilar
- Guiler
- Guiller
- Guillier
- Guilor
- Guler
- Guleria
- Guller
- Gullier
- Guyler
- Guylor
- Kahlar
- Kahler
- Kalair
- Kalar
- Kalare
- Kalari
- Kalaria
- Kaler
- Kaliere
- Kalir
- Kalirai
- Kallar
- Kallaur
- Kaller
- Kalluri
- Kalor
- Kalra
- Kalro
- Kayler
- Kaylor
- Kealer
- Keeler
- Keellar
- Keeller
- Keelor
- Kehlar
- Kehler
- Keilar
- Keiler
- Keillar
- Keiller
- Keilor
- Kelaher
- Kelair
- Kelar
- Keleher
- Keler
- Kelher
- Kellagher
- Kellaher
- Kellard
- Kellaris
- Kellber
- Kellehar
- Kelleher
- Kellel
- Kellerby
- Kellerd
- Kellerer
- Kellers
- Kellert
- Kellery
- Kellet
- Kellher
- Kellier
- Kelliher
- Kellner
- Kellor
- Kellord
- Kellorn
- Kellory
- Kellsher
- Keoler
- Keyler
- Kielar
- Kieler
- Kieller
- Kiellor
- Kilaire
- Kilar
- Kilara
- Kilari
- Kilaru
- Kiler
- Killar
- Killer
- Killier
- Kilroe
- Klaar
- Klaer
- Klahr
- Klahre
- Klair
- Klaire
- Klar
- Klara
- Klare
- Klauer
- Klear
- Kleir
- Kler
- Klier
- Klir
- Kloer
- Klohr
- Klor
- Koehler
- Koeller
- Kohlar
- Kohler
- Kolar
- Kolare
- Kolari
- Kolaru
- Koler
- Kollar
- Kollara
- Koller
- Kolliari
- Kollier
- Kolluri
- Kolluru
- Koulouri
- Kowler
- Kuehler
- Kueller
- Kuhler
- Kulair
- Kular
- Kularia
- Kuler
- Kullar
- Kuller
- Kweller
- Kyler
- Quiller
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Keller in...
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There are approximately 1,306 people named Keller in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,994th most common surname in Britain. Around 20 in a million people in Britain are named Keller.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Keller
- Helen Keller - U.S. author and political activist for women's suffrage, labor rights, socialism, and antimilitarism (1880 to 1968)
- Clare Waight Keller - Designer of the dress worn by Meghan Markle on her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018
- Rod Keller - Canadian general (1900 to 1954)
- Reginald Keller - Cricketer (1894 to 1986)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.