Surname
Kieffer
A trade name from the land between the Rhine and the Moselle: the cooper's. Find out where it comes from, where Kieffers live and the stories they have written.
The Kieffer name in figures
- 10,440births in France between 1891 and 1990
- 494thmost common surname in France
- 6,656Kieffers in the United States in the 2010 census
- Cooperwhat the name means in Alsace and Lorraine
Explore the Kieffer name
Researched articles, each with its sources.
Origin and meaning
Kieffer is the cooper's name: the barrel maker's trade in the dialects of Alsace, Lorraine and Luxembourg. How the name formed, its variants, and the theories to treat with caution.
Kiefer and the pine
In German, Kiefer means pine tree. Yet the German surname dictionary explains Kiefer and Kieffer as the cooper's name. Why the pine is a false friend, with the sources.
The cooper's trade
Before it was a surname, Kieffer was a job: making the barrels that carried wine and beer. The craft, its many regional names, its guilds and the Alsatian wine it served.
Where Kieffers live
From Moselle and Alsace to Luxembourg, Germany and the Americas: where the Kieffer surname is found, with figures for France and the United States.
Famous Kieffers
A D-Day commando leader, a Strasbourg orientalist, an insect specialist from Lorraine, the nurseryman behind a famous pear and a planetary geologist: Kieffers who left their mark.
Genealogy guide
Where to find Kieffer records in Alsace, Moselle, Luxembourg and Germany, which spellings to search for, and the historical changes that affect the records.
Between the Rhine and the Moselle
The Moselle and Bas-Rhin départements are home to most Kieffers in France. In neighbouring Luxembourg, the cooper is called a “Kéifer” in Luxembourgish: the trade the name comes from.
Did you know?
On 6 June 1944, the 177 French commandos led by Philippe Kieffer landed on Sword Beach and secured a foothold in Ouistreham.