Surname Kever - Meaning and Origin
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Kever: What does the surname Kever mean?
The last name Kever is an Old German name and is derived from the German words "Kiefer" meaning jaw or chin, and "Heer" meaning army or host. This name was quite common in the Middle Ages and was initially used to denote a strong-jawed man who was a member of an armed force. It was also likely used to refer to a descendant of someone who held such a position or someone who was part of a certain social class.
In modern times, the most prevalent form of the Kever surname is the English spelling of Kiefer, but there are still those who maintain the original spelling. This is a patronymic surname, meaning that it’s derived from the father's given name. Those with the name Kever are thought to be descendants of the Old German families that lived on the Rhine River hundreds of years ago.
The Kever surname is found today in countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the United States. It is also found among families of Jewish origin, asthe Kever version of the name is believed to be the German-Jewish version of the surname Kiefer.
Given its German origin, the Kever name is still indicative of strength, courage, and determination, qualities which are believed to have been important attributes of the German people for centuries. Those with the Kever surname can feel pride in tracing their ancestry back to such a noble heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisKever: Where does the name Kever come from?
The last name Kever is most commonly found in Belgium today. In a 2018 report, the name was ranked as the 843rd most popular last name in the country, with an estimated 3,491 people carrying the surname.
The Kever surname is thought to have originated in the village of Keiblo in Limburg, Belgium but is also found throughout much of Europe, including Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and France. In Germany, the Kever surname is sometimes spelled 'Kaever', and in Hungary, the surname 'Keever' is also found.
The Kever name is thought to have derived from the Latin word 'cavea', meaning dingle or dell, where a person lived near a lovely glen. As such, a variety of spelling variants of the name evolved, such as Kaver, Kever, Keifer, Koffers, Keever, etc.
Today, the Kever surname can be found in large numbers throughout Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, and Austria, and in smaller numbers in France as well. Those with the surname are usually descended from those that farmed in and around the dells mentioned above.
Variations of the surname Kever
The surname Kever is of Dutch heritage and has various variants. They include the German spelling Keifer, the Dutch spelling Keijer and the variant Keverling. Some modern-day variations include Kiefer, Kieferle, Kieffer, Kiever, Keiver, Kefer and Koffer.
The trends of the development of the surname Kever can be seen by looking at the origins of the variants. The German spelling of Keifer most likely derived from the German-Jewish surname Kiefer and is a corrupted form of Kiefer, which means 'pine tree'. The Dutch spelling of Keijer likely derived from a place-name and is descriptive for a person from Keijer, which is derived from Old Dutch 'kouwer' meaning 'marsh'. Keverling is a patronymic derived from the Dutch diminutive word 'Kverelin' and is often found in Dutch records.
The variations of the surname Kever indicate that the name changed frequently over time due to spellings becoming corrupted or changed due to changes in language or immigration. For instance, when a family migrated they might change the spelling to a more common version of their surname in the area they moved to in order to assimilate more quickly.
Overall, the surname Kever has a number of variants with the same common origin but distinct spelling variations.
Famous people with the name Kever
- Ernst Kever: Dutch newspaper editor and politician.
- Drew Kever: American film and television actor.
- Tom Kever: British actor, known for roles in Casualty, The Bill and EastEnders.
- Adrian Kever: Dutch soccer player.
- Jörg Kever: German professional ice hockey goaltender.
- Christian Kever: Dutch actor, based in Amsterdam and known for his roles in films such as Spijt and Ramses.
- Liza Kever: American actress, known for her appearances in various TV shows such as Impastor, Key & Peele and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Willem Kever: Dutch former professional cyclist.
- Manon Kever: Dutch singer and songwriter, best known for her 2017 single “Glow” and her 2019 EP ‘Golden Age’.
- Johan Kever: Dutch former professional footballer.
- Menno Kever: Dutch former professional football player.
- Maxime Kever: Dutch soccer player.
- Peter Kever: Dutch professional football player.
- Wilko Kever: Dutch former professional football player.
- Rick Kever: American former soccer player and coach.
- Anneke Kever: Dutch photographer and artist.
- John Kever: Dutch comedian and actor.
- Albert Kever: Dutch classical composer and music producer.
- Robert Kever: Dutch editor and politician
- Femke Kever: Dutch model and miss universe contestant.