Surname Keckeis - Meaning and Origin
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Keckeis: What does the surname Keckeis mean?
The last name Keckeis is of German origin and may have been derived from the Middle German term "keckeisen," which means "beckon" or "summon" in English. Keckeis is a relatively uncommon name, though it is most commonly found in Germany and Austria.
The earliest known mentions of the name are from the 12th century, when it was associated with the area of the Tyrolean Alps. The name was also present in the court of Donauwörth in the 15th century. It gradually spread to other parts of Germany throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Keckeis family were likely descendants of professional tradespeople, most likely from the areas around the Tyrol. To this day, many Keckeis families can be found in these regions, with some still living in the towns they have been in since the Middle Ages.
In English, the meaning of the name Keckeis is said to be someone who is "industrious, giving, and friendly." As such, the name has likely been passed down through the generations, as these traits were valued by the Keckeis family from the very beginning.
Order DNA origin analysisKeckeis: Where does the name Keckeis come from?
The last name Keckeis is most commonly found in the country of Austria today, where it originated. It is a German-language surname, deriving from the Austrian variant of the German word köck, meaning a small hillock. This suggests that the original bearers of this surname may have lived on a small hillocks or hilltops in Austria.
In Austria, Keckeis was first recorded in the mid-1700s with a family living in Steintein in the region of Lower Austria, where it is still concentrated today. There are also very minor pockets of the name in Hungary, Slovakia, Belarus, and Ukraine where those with the name migrated in the decades that followed.
Outside of Austria, the name has not been recorded very widely and is usually of immigrant origin. As a result, it is also quite rare in the United States and Canada – with just a handful of people carrying the name in each country today. In the United Kingdom, Keckeis is much rarer still and is not found often there.
Despite its rarity, the name Keckeis continues to have strong links to the historic country of Austria, where it originated centuries ago.
Variations of the surname Keckeis
Keckeis is a surname first found in Austria, a country in Central Europe. It is an uncommon name among English-speaking countries, but is more widely used in Austria and Germany. Variants of this surname include Keckeiss, Keckeisser, Kecheis, Kecheiss, and Kecheisser.
Keckeis is often spelled with a double 's' (Keckeiss), which is the German spelling of the name. In German, the name is pronounced more like "KECK-ice." In Austria, it is often spelled with just one 's' at the end (Keckeis).
The surnames Keckeiss and Kecheisser are also derived from Keckeis. The "iss" suffix is one way German speakers denote someone as a family member or clan. Hense, adding the suffix to the name "Keckeis" would mean "a member of the Keckeis family."
Another variation of the surname is Kecheis. The "he" in place of the "ke" is also found in the German language. In German, the "he" is pronounced like the English "h" sound.
There are several other names with the same origin. These include Keckeiß, Kecke, Keckeisen, and Keckeisener. All of these variations suggest a common origin and the likelihood that the people who used these variations all derived from the same family.
Overall, Keckeis is a unique surname with many variations, spellings, and variations of spellings. Variants and spelling of the same origin for the surname Keckeis include; Keckeiss, Keckeisser, Kecheis, Kecheiss, Kecheisser, Keckeiß, Kecke, Keckeisen, and Keckeisener. These variations indicate a common origin and a wealth of familiarity in German and Austrian languages and cultures.
Famous people with the name Keckeis
- Martin Keckeis: Austrian former bobsledder who won a bronze medal in the two-man event at the 1992 Winter Olympics.
- Helmut Keckeis: former Austrian Alpine ski racer who competed in the World Cup from 1977 to 1984 and again in 1988.
- Alfred Keckeis: Austrian American artist who is best-known for his oil and watercolor paintings of landscapes along the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Sophie Keckeis: Austrian curler who won the 1998 European Curling Championship and competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
- Margarete Keckeis: Austrian operatic soprano who debuted at the Vienna State Opera and performed with the National Theatre Mannheim, the Salzburg Festival, and other opera houses.
- Clemens Keckeis: Austrian former world cup skier who was an eight-time champion of the Alpine World Cup.
- Leopold Keckeis: Austrian politician who served as State Secretary of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet of Austria-Hungary from 1915 to 1916.
- Andreas Keckeis: Austrian former cellist in the Vienna Philharmonic who played as part of the trio ensemble “Keckeis, Vittu, and Schmied”.