Kiefer Family History
Kiefer Name Meaning
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). German: possibly also from an agent derivative of Middle High German kiffen ‘to quarrel’ hence a nickname for a bickerer. 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.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022