Surname Keyhl - Meaning and Origin
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Keyhl: What does the surname Keyhl mean?
The last name Keyhl is a unique and uncommon last name of German origin. It is thought that the origin of the name comes from the Middle High German word "keyhele", which means "peg". This is likely due to the root word "key" for "peg" being combined with "hele" for "house". This could indicate that a person who had the last name Keyhl, or a family of Keyhl, owned some type of building or land which was marked off by pegs in the ground.
The surname Keyhl can also be found in other parts of Europe, such as in England and France. It is also believed by some that it is a derivative of the Old German word "kuhle", which means "a small depression in the ground made by a spade". Alternatively, the root words "key" and "helcross" are both of Anglo-Saxon origin and can mean "hedge" and "cross". This could suggest that a family with the last name Keyhl could have once owned a hedge or perhaps a piece of land that was surrounded by hedges.
The pronunciation of the last name Keyhl is usually KEY-hl. It is believed to have first appeared in German records as early as the 13th century. The name appears on official records, such as census records and even military records, and can sometimes be found in Germany, England, France, Belgium and the Netherlands today.
Order DNA origin analysisKeyhl: Where does the name Keyhl come from?
The last name Keyhl is most commonly found in Germany today. It is an occupational surname, derived from the Middle German word "Keyl" which means lockmaker or locksmith. The spelling of the name has also fluctuated throughout its usage, and it can also be spelled as Kiel, Keil, Kewhl, Köhl, and Kuhl. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the name appeared in various regions of Germany such as Baden-Wurttemberg, Bavaria, and Saxony. It was also prevalent in the Duchy of Posen, today known as Poznań, Poland.
In the latter half of the 19th century, many of those with the last name Keyhl emigrated from Germany to the United States. Recordings of the name with different spellings have since been documented in various countries in the New World. For example, the United States Census Bureau shows a significant number of Keyhl's living in states such as Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
In recent decades, the name's prevalence in the United States has declined, while its presence in Germany has remained consistent. As of 2021, German telephone directories list over sixty individuals with the surname Keyhl. Additionally, public records and family trees reveal numerous individuals in Germany still proudly bearing the name today.
Variations of the surname Keyhl
The surname Keyhl is a variant of the surname Kiehl. Spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Keyhl include Kähl, Kiel, Keal, Keel, Kehl, Keil, Keill, Kehlh, Kayl, Kielh, Kielh, Kihl, Kiehl, Kihle, Kiell, Keyhle, Kühl and Keul.
Originating in Germany, the surname Keyhl is derived from the Middle High German word “kille”, meaning “pool”, suggesting the original bearer of this surname was a person living near a pond or pool. It could also be derived from the Middle High German word “kille” or “külle”, meaning “hill”, denoting a topographical feature. The German Kiehl, Kehl, and Kiel, as well as the Dutch Keul, could also be derived from place names with a similar meaning.
Many of the variants of this surname also became anglicised, such as Kiehl or Kiel becoming Keel, Keyhl becoming Kayl, Kiehl becoming Kehl, Keil or Keal, and Kihl becoming Kihle. It is also likely that some of the variants, particularly the more rare variants such as Keul and Kühl, have been adopted through emigration out of Germany. As the surname spread beyond Germany, its spellings and the number of related surnames also increased.
Today, the surname Keyhl is found throughout Europe and across the world, with people carrying this name tracing their ancestry back to Germany. Although the variants of the surname Keyhl share a common origin, the various spellings and related surnames can make tracing genealogical history challenging.
Famous people with the name Keyhl
- Kurt Kiefhl: German multisport athlete
- Jimmy Keyhl: British artist and former Member of Parliament
- Richard Keyhl: Canadian composer and professor
- Al Keyhl: American high school football coach and former professional American football player
- Darryl Keyhl: former Canadian ice hockey player
- David Keyhl: British singer and actor
- Edgar Keyhl: Uruguayan football (soccer) player
- John Keyhl: Canadian politician
- Mary Keyhl: Australian poet, playwright, novelist, and biographer
- Stephen Keyhl: American journalist