Kiefer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Ireland

Early Origins of the Kiefer family

The surname Kiefer was first found in Silesia, where the family gained a significant reputation for its contributions to the emerging mediaeval society. As an occupational name, the name was derived from the German word "dial" which means "copper." The German word "kufe" means "Barrel" and as such, the name is a cognitive of the English name "Cooper." Alternatively, the name could have been a topographic name for someone who lived in a pine forest, derived from the German word "Kiefer" which means "pine."

Early History of the Kiefer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kiefer research. Another 38 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1265, 1293, 1381 and 1397 are included under the topic Early Kiefer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kiefer Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Kiefer, Kiefner, Kufer, Kufler, Kufner, Kuffner, Kaufner, Kief, Kifer, Kieffer, Kieferle, Kieferl, Kiferlin, Kiever, Kiver, Kiverle, Kiverli, Kieferli, Kiffer, Kyfer, Kyefer, Kyffer, Kyferle and many more.

Early Notables of the Kiefer family

Notables of the period with the surname Kiefer were

the Kiefer family of Silesia

Kiefer Ranking

In the United States, the name Kiefer is the 4,333^rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. [1] However, in France, the name Kiefer is ranked the 7,920^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. [2]

Kiefer migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kiefer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Friedrich Kiefer, who arrived in Carolina in 1736
Friedrich Kiefer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1736 [3]
Theobald Kiefer, who arrived in Carolina in 1736 [3]
Daniel Kiefer, who landed in America in 1737 [3]
Peter Kiefer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1741 [3]
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kiefer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Kiefer, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1838 [3]
Charles Kiefer, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1840 [3]
George Kiefer, who arrived in Maryland in 1841 [3]
Franz Jakob Kiefer, who arrived in North America in 1846 [3]
Franz Jakob Kiefer, who arrived in North America with his wife and four children in 1846
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kiefer Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Otto Kiefer, who arrived in Arkansas in 1905 [3]
Mathias Kiefer, who arrived in Alabama in 1929 [3]

Contemporary Notables of the name Kiefer (post 1700) +

Adolf Kiefer (1918-2017), American swimmer and the first man in the world to swim 100 yards backstroke under 1 minute, America's oldest living Olympic champion
Brigadier-General Homer Watson Kiefer (1898-1976), American Commanding General 9th Division (1952-1953) [4]
Charles Frederick Kiefer (b. 1911), American Executive Director of the Civil Aeronautics Board (1966-70)
Jack Kiefer (1940-1999), American professional golfer, won 2 Senior PGA Tour events in the 1990s
Andrew Kiefer (1832-1904), German-born, American representative from Minnesota, member of the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1864
Edward H. Kiefer (b. 1874), American politician, Member of Wisconsin State Assembly from Milwaukee County 18th District, 1911-14, 1931-40 [5]
Edgar L. Kiefer, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Florida, 1972 [5]
Carl Kiefer, American Republican politician, Candidate for Missouri State House of Representatives 9th District, 1966 [5]
Augustus Kiefer (1828-1910), American politician, Member of Indiana State House of Representatives, 1859 [5]
Andrew Robert Kiefer (1832-1904), American Republican politician, Member of Minnesota State House of Representatives 21st District, 1864; Mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, 1898-1900 [5]
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Kiefer family +

Bismarck

Wilhelm Kiefer (1921-1941), German Matrose who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking [6]

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 30) Homer Kiefer. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Kiefer/Homer_Watson/USA.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details