Keiter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Keiter family

The surname Keiter was first found in Norfolk, where the name is generally thought to have been derived from a baptismal name as "the son of Kett, but whether Kett represents a nick, of Catherine, or, like Kit, of Christopher, I cannot say." 1

The first record of the name was Ailnod Kete who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of 1166. A few years later, Richard Kete was recorded in Suffolk in 1221 and in Durham, Robert Chet was listed at Boldun in 1183. Richard Kyte was recorded in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1243. 2

William Ket was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk in 1273. 1 2 Ralph atte Kete was registered in Kent in 1292, Peter le Kyte was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327 and John Kette was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1327. 2

The famed poet John Keats (1795-1821), was "born in London, at the sign of the Swan and Hoop, 24 The Pavement, Moorfields. These premises were occupied as a livery stable by one John Jennings, into whose service the father of the poet, Thomas Keats, had entered as a lad. Families of the name of Keats are found settled in Devonshire both north and south, and of the origin of Thomas Keats nothing is known except that he came either from that county or from Cornwall." 3

Early History of the Keiter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Keiter research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1476, 1487, 1510, 1600, 1633, 1661, 1666, 1696, 1700, 1705, 1744, 1757, 1808, 1812 and 1834 are included under the topic Early Keiter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Keiter Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Keiter has undergone many spelling variations, including Keate, Keete, Keyte, Keite, Keat, Keet, Keats and many more.

Early Notables of the Keiter family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Jonathan Keate, 1st Baronet (1633-1700), of The Hoo, County of Hertford, High Sheriff of Hertfordshire in 1666; Sir Gilbert Hoo Keate, 2nd Baronet (c. 1661-1705); and Sir Henry Hoo Keate, 3rd Baronet (c. 1696-1744.)Sir...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Keiter Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Keiter migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Keiter were among those contributors:

Keiter Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Joachim Petersen Keiter, who arrived in New York, NY in 1637 4

Keiter Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Bernhard Keiter, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1872 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Keiter (post 1700) +

E. Y. Keiter (1874-1959), American Republican politician, Minister; Candidate for U.S. Representative from Missouri 2nd District, 1922 5

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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