NameCensus.

UK surname

Kellar

A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) occupational surname for a cellar master, derived from the German word "Keller" meaning cellar.

In the 1881 census there were 41 people recorded with the Kellar surname, ranking it #27,870 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 165, ranked #22,234, up from #27,870 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Merthyr Tydfil, Cheshire East and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kellar is 165 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 302.4%.

1881 census count

41

Ranked #27,870

Modern count

165

2016, ranked #22,234

Peak year

2016

165 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kellar had 41 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,870 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016, ranked #22,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 74 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Kellar surname distribution map

The map shows where the Kellar surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Kellar surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kellar over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 45 #25,168
1861 historical 55 #27,007
1881 historical 41 #27,870
1891 historical 74 #27,538
1901 historical 67 #26,703
1911 historical 63 #26,537
1997 modern 127 #23,352
1998 modern 130 #23,603
1999 modern 130 #23,805
2000 modern 119 #25,072
2001 modern 113 #25,489
2002 modern 126 #24,393
2003 modern 127 #24,019
2004 modern 135 #23,326
2005 modern 135 #23,297
2006 modern 128 #24,267
2007 modern 125 #24,987
2008 modern 129 #24,790
2009 modern 136 #24,485
2010 modern 161 #22,385
2011 modern 139 #24,507
2012 modern 146 #23,681
2013 modern 150 #23,653
2014 modern 160 #22,824
2015 modern 160 #22,701
2016 modern 165 #22,234

Geography

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Where Kellars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Merthyr Tydfil, Cheshire East, Rochdale, Medway and Ashford. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Merthyr Tydfil 002 Merthyr Tydfil
2 Cheshire East 018 Cheshire East
3 Rochdale 017 Rochdale
4 Medway 023 Medway
5 Ashford 004 Ashford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kellar

These lists show first names that appear often with the Kellar surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kellar

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kellar, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Kellar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kellar household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Kellar is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kellar is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kellar falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kellar is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Kellar, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kellar

The surname Kellar is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "kellære," meaning "cellar-master" or "cellarman." It first emerged in the 13th century in the region of Bavaria, where many individuals were employed in the wine and beer trade, overseeing the storage and distribution of these beverages from underground cellars.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kellar can be found in the Annals of Regensburg, a chronicle detailing the history of the city of Regensburg, Bavaria, from the 6th to the 12th century. The entry from 1286 mentions a "Heinrich Kellar," who was a prominent merchant and burgher of the city.

In the 15th century, the Kellar family gained prominence in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a well-preserved medieval town in Bavaria. Johannes Kellar (1432-1505) was a respected lawyer and served as the town's legal advisor for several decades.

As the name spread across central Europe, it underwent various spellings, such as Keller, Keler, and Kellner. One notable figure from this era was Hans Kellner (1470-1512), a German Renaissance artist and engraver from Nuremberg, renowned for his intricate woodcuts and engravings.

In the 17th century, the Kellar name found its way to the New World. Johann Kellar (1620-1688) was among the earliest German immigrants to Pennsylvania, arriving in the 1680s as part of the German Palatine migration. He settled in Germantown, Philadelphia, and his descendants played a significant role in the development of the region.

Another notable individual bearing the Kellar surname was Harry Kellar (1849-1922), an American magician and illusionist who was one of the most famous performers of his time. He was born Heinrich Keller in Erie, Pennsylvania, and achieved great success touring both the United States and Europe with his elaborate stage shows.

Throughout its long history, the surname Kellar has been associated with various professions, from wine merchants and lawyers to artists and entertainers. Its roots can be traced back to the cellars of medieval Bavaria, where the name first emerged as a reflection of the occupation of its bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kellar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kellar surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 15 Kellars recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.32x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 15 11.32x
Middlesex 7 1.71x
Midlothian 7 12.76x
Devon 4 4.69x
Aberdeenshire 2 5.27x
Banffshire 1 11.76x
Denbighshire 1 6.46x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 16.86x
Lancashire 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 20.49x
Surrey 1 0.50x
Wiltshire 1 2.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dalkeith in Midlothian leads with 7 Kellars recorded in 1881 and an index of 648.15x.

Place Total Index
Dalkeith 7 648.15x
Barony 6 17.90x
Govan 4 12.21x
Kensington London 4 17.57x
New Monkland 3 76.53x
Dartmouth Townstall 2 571.43x
Hackney London 2 8.71x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 14.08x
Blantyre 1 72.46x
Hamilton 1 27.10x
Henllan 1 256.41x
Horningsham 1 909.09x
Kirkmabreck 1 384.62x
Newington 1 6.61x
Ordiquhill 1 1000.00x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 15.22x
Plymstock 1 222.22x
Royal Navy 1 23.98x
St George Hanover 1 18.69x
Turriff 1 163.93x
Whittingham 1 476.19x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kellar surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Alice 1
Charlotte 1
Ellen 1
Emilie 1
Mary 1
Rose 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kellar surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 2
Adolphus 1
Alfred 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Jacob 1
James 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kellar households.

FAQ

Kellar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kellar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 41 people were recorded with the Kellar surname. That placed it at #27,870 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kellar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016. That gives Kellar a modern rank of #22,234.

What does the Kellar surname mean?

A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) occupational surname for a cellar master, derived from the German word "Keller" meaning cellar.

What does the Kellar map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kellar bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.