Surname Kehlen - Meaning and Origin
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Kehlen: What does the surname Kehlen mean?
The last name Kehlen is derived from the German word "kehlen," which means "to talk." It is thought to be a occupational surname, typically given to someone who spoke on behalf of others. Alternatively, the name could be a toponymic name, derived from the place Kehlen, which is located near the city of Bitburg in Germany.
The Kehlen surname was first found in Bavaria, where one of the oldest recorded bearers of the name can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed that many of the Kehlen families migrated to the United States during the 19th century, with most settling in the Midwest. Over time, the Kehlen family name has come to be associated with German American culture.
Today, the Kehlen name is more commonly found in the United States than in Germany. It is often seen in combination with other German surnames, such as Keller and Krause. People with the Kehlen name are often seen as being hardworking, faithful and reliable. They are also typically seen as being quite friendly and outgoing.
Order DNA origin analysisKehlen: Where does the name Kehlen come from?
The last name Kehlen is most common in Germany, according to the genealogical research. It is also present in parts of Austria, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. However, due to large-scale settlement during the 18th and 19th centuries, the family name has become quite widespread around Europe, primarily in countries with large German-speaking populations such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina.
Research of U.S. records indicates that Kehlen arrived in the country as early as 1831 when Jean Baptiste Kehlen settled in Louisiana. Most of the Kehlens who immigrated to the U.S. originated from various German states including Bavaria, Westphalia, Prussia, and Baden. New York, Pennsylvania, and California were some of the more popular state destinations settling predominantly in rural areas during the mid-1800s.
The Kehlen family has grown significantly throughout the years and the name remains fairly common in Germany to this day. During the last decade, the United States was recorded as the top country with the highest number of Kehlen families living there according to the Federal Census. Many Kehlens have chosen to remain in rural areas where they originated while others have moved to cities in modern times. The last name continues to be present all over the world and is becoming increasingly popular.
Variations of the surname Kehlen
The surname Kehlen is an anglicized version of the Germanic surname ‘Köhlen’, which has a variety of spellings, including Kehlen, Köhlen, Köhle, Köhler, Kohlen, Koehlen, Köhler. The surname is also found in English-speaking countries, where it is anglicized variations such as Coehlen and Coehlo.
The spelling variants of this surname are not limited to just those. The spelling could also take on other variations such as Kehlenbach, Kehlenbeck, Kohlenberger, Kohlenberg, Koehlenberg, Koehl, Koehle, Köhl, Köhle, Koehling, Koehlemann, Köhlinger and Köhlmann.
The name is derived from Germanic or Old High German words meaning ‘coal’ or ‘charcoal’, suggesting that the first bearer of this name may have been involved in the charcoal production trade. It is likely that this surname originated in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, particularly in the Bavarian or Rhineland regions.
This name is associated with several other surnames of the same origin. These include Kahlenberg, Koehlermann and Koehlmeir, as well as the Dutch variants of Kohlman, Kohlan and Kohlemann.
Due to the widespread prevalence of this surname, there are a plethora of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. This is due in part to the original Germanic form of the name, which is subject to a variety of dialectical influences in different regions, as well as the more recent anglicization of the name. As such, it is likely that there are many additional variants of this surname that have yet to be discovered.
Famous people with the name Kehlen
- Ben Kehlen: German footballer
- Jordan Kehlen: professional boxer
- Robert Kehlen: Former tennis player in the 1950s
- Harry Kehlen: Former Australian rules footballer
- Heidi Kehlen: Danish politician
- Gordon Kehlen Jr.: American Olympic rower
- Isabell Kehlen: German equestrian
- Jutta Kehlen: German blues singer
- Robert Kehlen III: Former Olympic athlete
- Carola Kehlen: German composer and piano lecturer