Surname Kaeppler - Meaning and Origin

Kaeppler: What does the surname Kaeppler mean?

The last name Kaeppler originates from Germany. It is derived from the German word "Käppler" which loosely translates to 'merchant' or 'trader'. This surname likely originated from someone who was involved in trading and commerce.

There are other variations of the name in different languages. In Dutch, for example, the surname is spelled Kaeppel, which also has the same meaning. In Sweden, the name is spelled Käppling and in Norway, the name is spelled Kæpl O/Kæppl.

Kaeppler is a fairly common surname in Germany, and in the United States, it ranks around 5,500 on the list of most common surnames. In Germany it is the 129th most common last name. In the U.S., people with this name can trace their origins in large part to German and Austrian immigrants who settled in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Kaeppler was originally a occupational name that was used to describe someone involved in trading or commerce. Today it is a surname that symbolizes the small roles and contributions of the merchant and trader, and serves to represent a family’s connections to the past.

Kaeppler: Where does the name Kaeppler come from?

The last name Kaeppler is most commonly found today in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It is an occupational surname, believed to have originated in the medieval period. The name is thought to have derived from the Middle High German word kappeler which indicated a person who cared for a chaplaincy or chapel.

Kaeppler is also found in the United States, however, its usage is more sparse than it is in Central Europe. Here, the surname originated with German immigrants who settled in parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio during the 18th century. Since then, people with the last name have spread out, with isolated pockets of individuals located throughout the United States.

In addition to Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein, Kaeppler is also found in the American states of New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Michigan, and California. Within Europe, Belguim and France have seen immigration from Germany, which has allowed for wider distribution of the name. Kaeppler additionally appears in both Canada and Australia, although it is not as common in these countries.

Due to its occupational roots, the last name Kaeppler is believed to have originated in Central Europe. Its spread throughout Europe and the US, as well as Canada and Australia, is a testament to the diaspora of German-speaking peoples and their global influence.

Variations of the surname Kaeppler

The surname Kaeppler is a surname of Germanic origin, derived from the Middle High German words "kappeler" or "kapper" which allegedly refer to a hat seller.

The variants of the surname Kaeppler include Käppler, Kaepeler, Keppeler, Kaeppele, Kappeler, Kaepplerin, Kaepel, Kaeppl, Kaepplin, Kaplar, Koppeler, and Koppler. However, there could be even more regional varieties of the surname.

In some cases, Kaeppler may have been spelled differently when immigrants came to the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Americanized version of the surname is therefore Kappler, Kappeller, Kapler, Kaplar, Kaplora, Koppeler, Koppler, Keppler, Keppeller, and Kopler.

A notable bearer of this name is Amert Kaeppler, a well-known German paleographer and historian.

The different spellings of the surname Kaeppler may lead to confusion as to the origin and history of the family line, as they may be mistaken for other similar-sounding surnames. For example, Kaeppler may be confused with Kappler, Kapler or Kappeller. All of these surnames are, however, completely unrelated.

Famous people with the name Kaeppler

• Adrienne Kaeppler: Anthropologist and Curator Emerita at the Smithsonian Institution
• Eleanore Kaeppler: German missionary and teacher
• Lynne Kaeppler: Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at Penn State University
• Mike Kaeppler: Former US Olympic cyclist
• Kari Kaeppler: American Air Force General
• Alfred Kaeppler: Member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities
• Herwig Kaeppler: German composer
• Richard Kaeppler: American Physicial and Chef
• Gisela Kaeppler: German author
• Maria Kaeppler: Northern Irish artist
• Gordon Kaeppler: Australian opera singer
• Rolf Kaeppler: Former German footballer
• Paul Kaeppler: American musicologist

Other surnames

Kaepplinger