Kelle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The Kelle family emerged in the ancient duchy of Swabia, which was in the southwest of Germany. Before the late Middle Ages, German people were known only by a single name. However, as populations increased and people began to travel more, it became necessary to adopt a second name. Many people, such as the Kelle family, adopted the name of their feudal occupation as their surname. The name Kelle is derived from the Middle High German word "kelner," which corresponds to the English occupation of steward. The kelner was the manager of the noble household.

Early Origins of the Kelle family

The surname Kelle was first found in Swabia, where the family contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation and would later play a large role in the political conflicts of the area. The family branched into many houses, many of which acquired estates and manors throughout the surrounding regions, where they played significant roles in the social and political affairs. Individual bearers of this name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include Herman der Kelner (Keller) of Rottweil, Wuerttemberg, in 1314.

Early History of the Kelle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kelle research. Another 297 words (21 lines of text) covering the years 1452, 1466, 1605, 1635, 1638, 1699, 1700, 1702, 1766, 1798, 1819 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Kelle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kelle Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Keller, Keler, Kelle, Kellaere, Kellere, Kellner, Kaeller, Kaellner, Kelner, Celler, Cellner, Celer, Celner, Kellern, Cellern and many more.

Early Notables of the Kelle family

Notables with the surname Kelle during this period were

Jean-Jacques Keller (1635-1700) and his brother Jean-Balthazar Keller (1638-1702), Swiss gunfounders from Zürich

Kelle migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kelle Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Christopher Kelle, who landed in Virginia in 1655 1

Kelle Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johann Kelle, who landed in Long Island in 1781 1

Kelle Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Christian Kelle, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1858 1
John Kelle, who arrived in Arkansas in 1882 1

Citations +

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)