Explore the Family Name Kiefer
The meaning of Kiefer
1. German: occupational name for a cooper or the overseer of a wine cellar, from an agent derivative of Middle High German kuofe ‘vat, barrel’ (from Latin cupa). 2. German: possibly also from an agent derivative of Middle High German kiffen ‘to quarrel’, hence a nickname for a bickerer. 3. Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Kiefer ‘pine tree’. This word, which is first attested in the early 15th century, is a blend of kien and forhe, both meaning ‘pine’. The two elements still have a separate existence: kieboom is the Dutch term for a pine tree, while in many parts of Germany the word for the tree is Föhre. Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Franz, Erwin, Heinz, Dieter, Fritz, Alois, Aloys, Claus, Ernst, Florian, Frieda.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kiefer in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Kiefer has seen a shift in its popularity over the years. In 2000, it was ranked 3087 but by 2010, its ranking has slid down to 3240 marking a decrease of around 4.96%. However, the count of people with this surname has slightly increased from 10,756 in 2000 to 11,141 in 2010, a growth of approximately 3.58%. The proportion of individuals with the Kiefer surname per 100k people has seen a slight dip of -5.26%, moving from 3.99 in 2000 to 3.78 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,087 | #3,240 | -4.96% |
| Count | 10,756 | 11,141 | 3.58% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.99 | 3.78 | -5.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kiefer
Discussing the ethnic identity associated with the surname Kiefer, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the largest group remains individuals who identify as White, although their proportion decreased slightly from 96.58% in 2000 to 95.07% in 2010. The Hispanic and Black communities saw significant increases in the use of the surname, rising by 63.46% and 50% respectively. The Asian/Pacific Islander demographic also increased their association with the surname from 0.46% in 2000 to 0.67% in 2010. Those identifying as two or more races grew by 18.52% while the American Indian and Alaskan Native community saw a rise of 22.22% in the ten-year span.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.58% | 95.07% | -1.56% |
| Hispanic | 1.56% | 2.55% | 63.46% |
| Two or More Races | 1.08% | 1.28% | 18.52% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.46% | 0.67% | 45.65% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.18% | 0.22% | 22.22% |
| Black | 0.14% | 0.21% | 50% |
Kiefer ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Kiefer is French & German, which comprises 41.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (35.4%) and Eastern European (7.1%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 41.1% |
| British & Irish | 35.4% |
| Eastern European | 7.1% |
| Other | 16.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Kiefer
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Kiefer have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 72.20% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 72.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 72.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 72.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 71.90% |
What Kiefer haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Kiefer is R-L2, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L2 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and G-L42, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Wagner, Schreiber, Beyer, Beck, Haas, Kuhn, Hoffman, Schmidt, Huber, Lutz.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Kiefer surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Kiefer have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Kiefer" Surname 48.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Kiefer" Surname 25.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Kiefer" Surname 23.4%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Kiefer" Surname 18.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Kiefer?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Kiefer are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition