Surname Keufer - Meaning and Origin

Keufer: What does the surname Keufer mean?

The last name Keufer is of German origin and is thought to derive from the German word “Küfer”, meaning “cooper” in English. The occupational name of Küfer likely originated in the German language during the Middle Ages when artisans added their surnames to label their work. Later, these surnames became a fixed part of their families, and were eventually passed down through generations.

Keufer is an uncommon surname in both the United States and Germany. In the United States, data from the 2000 census indicated that there were only 106 people who shared the Keufer surname. In Germany, the name only had 84 records according to Statistics Germany in 2007.

The classic cooper profession involved the skilled crafting of wooden containers, such as barrels and buckets. Today, the term "cooper" is still used to refer to someone who makes and repairs wooden containers. In the United States, the craft of coopering can be seen in the production of whiskey and wine barrels, as well as fire buckets and fruit bins.

The Keufer surname is rarely encountered, but one of its earliest records was in Germany in 1241 when Waghenes Keufer owned property in Nuremberg. The name is derived from old German words and has existed and been passed down for centuries, signifying the longevity of the craft of coopering.

Keufer: Where does the name Keufer come from?

The last name Keufer is most common today in German-speaking countries, particularly Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It appears to be most popular in south-western Germany, with Saxony, Bavaria, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Baden-Württemberg having the highest concentration of people with the name. Spelling variations of the name Keufer include Kowfahr, Kofer, Kefar, Kaufer, Kaufherr, Kaifer, Kauffer, Koffer, and Kaufing.

The origin of the name is thought to be German, derived from the Old High German word "cuhfor" which meant customer or trader. The name was first found in recorded history in the region of Horb in the early 1500s, and is thought to have been derived from the Old German word “kimpfer” which meant the same.

The name is especially common among Jewish and Palatine-descended families who likely adopted the name when they settled in the area of Horb as a way to assimilate into the local culture.

The name is still popular today in the form of Keffer, as well as its other spellings, indicating that the name continues to be passed down through generations and is not likely to disappear anytime soon.

Variations of the surname Keufer

Keufer is a German surname traditionally held by families living in the north of Germany, close to The Netherlands, Hamburg, Bremen and Luneberg. The different variants of this name are Kaufer, Käufer, Koffer, Kauffman as well as Koffer, Koffmann and Koeffmann.

The English language variants of this surname include Keufer, Koffer, Kauffer, Kauffman and Koffman. In certain areas of the United States, it has been anglicized further to Coffman, Coffey, or Goffman. The surnames Kaufer and Käufer have a spelling, which has been determined by a Danish influence on many German surnames in the area of Northern Germany, close to the Danish border.

Kaufer, Käufer, Koffer and their related surname spellings are all derived from the same origin and a common root. This is the German word "Kauf" which means "buyer” or "trader". Originally, the name sought to describe a person who was a buyer, a seller, or a merchant. Over time, the name's meaning evolved to denote a family whose trade involved the buying and the selling of goods.

Today, Keufer and its related spellings are fairly common in Germany, The Netherlands, United States, and other countries. It is especially concentrated in parts of Southern Germany, such as Bavaria, as well as in specific American states such as Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Famous people with the name Keufer

• Hasse Keufer: German actor and director
• John Keufer: co-founder of the Institute for the Blind in Switzerland
• Alex Keufer: boxer
• Andrew Keufer: Canadian soccer player
• Jeff Keufer: NFL football player
• Jeffery Keufer: US Navy Seal
• George Keufer: sculptor
• Tom Keufer: British physicist
• Klaus Keufer: mechanism design engineer
• Steven Keufer: papyrologist
• Joe Keufer: American sprinter
• Louis Keufer: French artist
• Kenneth Keufer: US Army Officer
• Emil Keufer: German industrialist
• Rachel Keufer: German/Swiss illustrator
• Thomas Keufer: German business consultant
• Steve Keufer: German opera singer
• Judith Keufer: US physicist
• Edwin Keufer: Swiss theologian
• Willard Keufer: US politician

Other surnames

KeufelKeufert