Show ContentsKettner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Kettner Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Kettner

What does the name Kettner mean?

The story of the Kettner family stretches back through time to the Viking settlers who populated the rugged shores of Scotland in the Medieval era. The name Kettner was derived from the old Norse personal name of Ketill or from the old Danish personal name of Ketil. 1 2

"The personal name Chetell occurred in the Domesday Book of 1086." 3 4

Early Origins of the Kettner family

The surname Kettner was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland.

"'Kettles were weavers at Muthill, Perthshire, and gun-makers at Doune in the same county' in the eighteenth century. The name of the gun-makers is spelled Kettell and Caddell, and they were probably relations of the Kettells, weavers in Muthill. Ketell de Perth was burgess there in the reign of Alexander II. James filius Ketel witnessed a composition between the Priory of May and Duncan de Inchesireth (now Inchyra), c. 1250." 1

Further to the south in England, one of the first records of the family was William Ketel (fl. 1100), a medieval English writer and clergyman. Little is known of him other than he wrote a work containing miraculous stories about Saint John of Beverley. He is presumed to have been clerk of Beverley Minster at that time.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included entries for the family as both a forename and surname: Emma filius Ketel, Cambridgeshire; Kettle le Mercer, Cambridgeshire; and Reyner Ketel, Norfolk. 5

The Feet of Fines for Essex listed Adam Keterch(e) in 1317 and the same rolls included Roger Keterch(e) at Colchester in 1379. 2

Early History of the Kettner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kettner research. Another 152 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1513, 1524, 1576, 1583, 1612, 1676, 1689 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Kettner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kettner Spelling Variations

Standards used to judge the accuracy of spellings and translations did not yet exist in the Middle Ages. Spelling variations in names dating from that era, are thus, an extremely common occurrence. Kettner has been recorded as Kettle, Ketley, Kettles, Ketill and others.

Early Notables of the Kettner family

More information is included under the topic Early Kettner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kettner Ranking

the United States, the name Kettner is the 17,712nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Kettner family to Ireland

Some of the Kettner family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kettner migration to the United States +

The New World was far from the oppressive regime of the old country. It was a place where there was more land than people and political and religious freedom were far easier to come by. Many Scots even got the chance to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. In recent years, interest in this heritage has been generated by Clan societies and regular highland games in North America. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has revealed many people bearing the Kettner name:

Kettner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Geo Michael Kettner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 7
  • Johan Kettner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 7
  • George Michael Kettner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1768 7
  • Joh Andreas Kettner, who arrived in America in 1783 7
Kettner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Georg Kettner, who arrived in Illinois in 1851 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Kettner (post 1700) +

  • Frederick Kettner (b. 1886), American author and professor of philosophy
  • William Kettner (1864-1930), American democratic politician from San Diego
  • William Kettner (1864-1930), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from California 11th District, 1913-21; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1916, 1924, 1928 8
  • Gerhard Kettner (b. 1928), German artist
  • Erich Kettner (b. 1901), well-known German linguist

The Kettner Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Bono vince malum
Motto Translation: Overcome evil with good.
  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. 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)
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

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