Surname Keber - Meaning and Origin
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Keber: What does the surname Keber mean?
The surname Keber is of German and Jewish origin. It is derived from the given name Hubard or Hubert, both of which come from the Germanic elements "hub," meaning "bright" and "beraht," meaning "bright." In later times, the name became a nickname for someone of a lively nature.
In Germany specifically, the surname was popularized by Hubertus, the patron saint of hunters, suggesting that it may also have been used as a descriptive name for someone with hunting skills. It was also used to denote someone who worked in the armory, adding a mention of weaponry to its definition.
Beyond Germany, Keber is a common Jewish surname in Central and Eastern Europe. As Jews were often forbidden to own land in Europe, many adapted names to describe means of making a living. Therefore, Keber may mean ‘merchant,’ or someone who did business.
In the United States, Keber is sparsely found, as most of the Keber family migrated to Canada or Israel. A search of the United States Census records suggests that those with the surname Keber mainly live in Canada or Israel, particularly in Quebec, Ontario, and Israeli.
Overall, the Keber surname has a varied and interesting background as it was adopted by many people for different reasons. It could denote someone’s occupation, Hunbertus’ patronage, or even brightly in German.
Order DNA origin analysisKeber: Where does the name Keber come from?
The last name Keber is primarily found in areas which were formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, primarily in Slovenia, Croatia, and Hungary. It has been recorded in various documents since at least the 16th century. Today, it is reported that the last name Keber is most common in Slovenia, where it was the 432nd most popular surname in 2020. In Croatia, it was the 8,455th most common surname in 2020, and in Hungary it was the 5,592nd most common surname.
In the United States, the last name Keber is significantly less common. In 2020, it was estimated to be the 19,325th most common surname in the country. The surname is still found in many states, including Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Ohio, where it is most common along the eastern coast. Its presence in the United States likely comes from its occurrence in the immigrant populations who settled there.
The last name Keber is also found in the rest of Europe, including Germany, Austria, Netherlands, France, and Belgium, though it is not as common. It is also found in the Phillippines, South Africa, and other countries across the world.
Variations of the surname Keber
Köber is a surname of Germanic origin, derived from the given name Köber, which is a metronymic name derived from the name Köberle, meaning "little Köber" or "son of Köber".
Variants of this surname include Kebber, Kebar, Kebre, Kebler, and Köbler.
In the United States, the Köber family name is distributed most widely in Pennsylvania, followed by Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, and California.
In Germany, spellings can vary significantly, with alternatives including Köberle, Köbels, Kübke, Kübler, Kübbels, Köpple, Köbble, and Kübel.
In Austria and the Czech Republic, different spellings of the surname include Köbele, Köbel, Köbler, Köbl, and Köbels.
In some cases, people of the same ethnic background may prefer different spellings of a surname, such as Köberle, Köbels, Köbinger, Köbeling, Kebern, and Kübking.
The variant Köbler can also be found in countries such as Poland, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, and Russia. In Italy, variants of the surname include Kobler, Köbel, Kobelle, and Kobelli. Other surnames with similar origins or that are derived from the same name include Kiefer, Kueber or Kube, Kuebler, and Kübler.
Famous people with the name Keber
- Paul Keber: a German professional football player who currently plays in the 3. Liga as a midfielder for Hansa Rostock.
- Eric Keber: a German ice hockey player who currently plays for EHC München in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.
- Marko Keber: a Slovenian cross-country skier who competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2014 Winter Olympics.
- Urban Keber: a Slovenian alpine skier who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics and 2015 World Championships.
- Hans Keber: a Slovenian cross-country skier who competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics and the 2019 World Championships.
- Jernej Keber: a Slovenian alpine skier who competed in the 2011 World Championships.
- Robert Keber: an American artist known for his whimsical ceramic sculptures of the people and creatures he encounters in his travels.
- Fyodor Keber: a Russian sculptor who specializes in decorative ceramic art and bronze sculptures.
- Niko Keber: a Slovenian snowboarder who competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2011 and 2015 World Championships.
- Kaja Keber: a Slovenian snowboarder who competed in the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2019 World Championships.