Keister History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The ancient roots of the Keister family are found in the German state of Bavaria. Keister was a local name, for someone who lived in Franconia where their name rose to prominence through their involvement in the social and cultural affairs of the area.

Early Origins of the Keister family

The surname Keister was first found in Franconia, where the name was an integral part of the feudal society which would shape modern European history. Many prominent branches of the family would strive to make this name renowned as they contributed to the social, economic and political affairs of the region.

Early History of the Keister family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Keister research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1306, 1468, 1565, 1635, 1741, 1769, 1773, 1800 and 1810 are included under the topic Early Keister History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Keister Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Keister include Kaestner, Kastner, Kestner, Kastener, Kaestener, Kestener, Cestner, Kesstner, Kaesstner, Kasstner, Castner, Caestner, Koestner, Kostner, Coestner and many more.

Early Notables of the Keister family

Prominent among members of the name Keister in this period include Franz de Paula Andreas Joseph Bonaventura Castner von Collenbach (b.1769), Lord of the estate Collenbach near Staubing in Bavaria, who distinguished himself as a lawyer and major of the Bavarian regiment of Viechtach. Johann Georg Christian Kestner...
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Keister Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Keister Ranking

In the United States, the name Keister is the 4,965^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Keister migration to the United States +

German settlers were among the most common to come to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. Poverty and religious persecution drove many Bavarians to make this long trek. tenant farmers were also enticed by the prospect of owning land. From east to west, these German immigrants populated the United States, settling in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada also provided homes to many. Early settlers bearing the Keister surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Keister Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Lewis Keister, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1832 2
J C C Keister, who landed in Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Talisman" 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Keister (post 1700) +

Walter Benjamin Keister Sr. (1941-2024), American politician
W. D. Keister (b. 1867), American Democratic Party politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Cabell County, 1935-38 3
Stephen A. D. Keister, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Governor of Wyoming, 1906 3
Ralph Keister, American Democratic Party politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Harrison County; elected 1954 3
John D. Keister, American politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Pendleton County, 1909-12 3
Daniel L. Keister (b. 1866), American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Dauphin County, 1909 3
Anderson F. Keister, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Blacksburg, Virginia, 1885-89 3
Abraham Lincoln Keister (1852-1917), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania 22nd District, 1913-17 3

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html