Show ContentsKeck History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Keck family

The surname Keck was first found in Wutrzenberg, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power. They were first seated at Giengen.

Early History of the Keck family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Keck research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1561, 1630 and 1695 are included under the topic Early Keck History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Keck Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Keck, Kech, Kechler and others.

Early Notables of the Keck family

Notables with the surname Keck during this period were

  • Sir Anthony Keck (1630-1695), Commissioner of the Great Seal in England, fifth son of Nicholas Keck of Old Cowcliffe, Oxfordshire, and Long Marston, Gloucestershire, by Margaret, daughter of John Morr...

Keck Ranking

In the United States, the name Keck is the 3,950th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. [1]


United States Keck migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Keck Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Anna Barbara Keck, who landed in Northampton, Pennsylvania in 1726 [2]
  • Henry Keck, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 [2]
  • Georg Keck, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1736 [2]
  • Andreas Keck, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752
  • Adam Keck, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1761 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Keck Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Anna Barb Keck, who settled in America sometime between 1726 and 1800
  • Johan George Keck, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1848 [2]
  • Agathe Keck, who settled in North America in 1852
  • Bantalion Keck, who arrived in Illinois in 1856-1864 [2]
  • Marianne Keck, who arrived in New York, NY in 1860 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Keck (post 1700) +

  • Kevin Keck (b. 1973), American essayist and poet
  • David D. Keck (1903-1995), American botanist
  • William Myron Keck (1880-1964), American founder of Superior Oil Company, eponym of W.M. Keck Observatory
  • Frank Joseph "Cactus" Keck (1899-1981), American Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds 1922-1923
  • Harry Keck (1897-2003), American sports writer
  • Charles Keck (1875-1951), American sculptor born in New York City
  • Howard B. Keck (1913-1996), American son of W. M. Keck, succeeded his father as head of both Superior Oil and the Keck Foundation


Suggested Readings for the name Keck +

  • Down in the Barns by Virginia Billingsley Fletcher.
  • Family Record of Isaac Plank and Catherine Keck by W.H. Stutzman.
  • More Kecks of Clairborne County, Tennessee by Virginia Billingsley Fletcher.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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