The Keeler surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,546 people carried this name — #3,124 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 25,600 people counted. That is up 6% from 10,930 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Keeler surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as an occupational name: ‘the keeler’.

His entry covers Keeler and Keelar.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 441 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

118 families named Keeler, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 646 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 9 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Connecticut 53
New York 25
Pennsylvania 20
Vermont 15
Massachusetts 2
Maine 1
Virginia 1
South Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 248 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Keeler in American newspapers,
1853–1907.

Newspaper page from The Granite Farmer carrying the name Keeler
The Granite Farmer 1853-04-27
Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name Keeler
The Anaconda Standard 1898-07-28
Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name Keeler
Daily Kennebec Journal 1907-06-20

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 441,193 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Keeler in Australian newspapers,
1850s–1980s.

2,003 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Keeler. The most, 557, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 849
New South Wales 384
Western Australia 225
South Australia 203
Victoria 162
ACT (Canberra) 86
Tasmania 45
Northern Territory 4

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Keeler.

Who carried it

People named Keeler,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Joseph Keeler
    Joseph Keeler 1824–1881 · politician
  • Ralph Keeler
    Ralph Keeler 1840–1873 · actor
  • Harriet L. Keeler
    Harriet L. Keeler 1844–1921 · writer
  • Edwin O. Keeler
    Edwin O. Keeler 1846–1923 · politician
  • Walter Keeler 1615–
  • Samuel Keeler 1656–1713 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 9 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Keeler,
in the records of 5 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,632 records

1,632 records of the Keeler name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 610
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 420
  • Other U.S. records 602
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record William J. Keeler

    Born 1920 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Jay Governors Island; mechanic from Kings County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1983, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Annie Keeler

    Arrived at New York in 1891 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 19; servant. From Cork, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record William Gilbert Keeler

    Born 1948; from Pennsville, New Jersey. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Hua Nghia, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,632 records for Keeler in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Canada125 records

125 records of the Keeler name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 81
  • Halifax municipal cemeteries 17
  • Other Canadian records 27
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Joseph Andrew Keeler

    Buried in 1995 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 78.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Rosa Hume Keeler

    Died 1930 in Dartmouth, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Albert Keeler

    Died in service in 1917.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 125 records for Keeler in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Netherlands94 records

94 records of the Keeler name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 64
  • Dutch population registers 20
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 10
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jantina Dirkje Keeler

    Born 1892 in Hengelo. Married in 1914 in Hengelo; factory worker.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Lambertus Keeler

    Died 1964 in Enschede; born in Enschede; carpenter.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Enschede (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Huberta Petronella Carolina Keeler

    In the population register of Lierop; nun, born 1876 in Arcen.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Eindhoven (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 94 records for Keeler in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Australia77 records

77 records of the Keeler name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 41
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 14
  • Other Australian records 22
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Samuel Keeler

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Katherine Stewart Forbes, arriving 1830; ticket of leave 1836.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Robert B. Keeler

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Fanny, aged 28; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Clarence Alexander Keeler

    Gentleman of Shepparton, Victoria; died 1982.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 77 records for Keeler in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

United Kingdom9 records

9 records of the Keeler name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 7
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Grace Keeler

    Buried in 1793 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 45.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. Keeler

    South Staffordshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Reddis Keeler

    Buried in 1793 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 64.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 9 records for Keeler in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Keeler.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Keeler is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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