Kiel Family History

North German: in some cases probably a habitational name from the city of Kiel in Schleswig-Holstein but more likely a topographic name for someone living by a long narrow bay or area of sheltered water from Middle Low German kīl ‘wedge’ the word from which the city derives its name. German: from Middle Low German Middle High German kīl ‘wedge’ applied as a metonymic occupational name or as a pejorative nickname for a ruffian or a bumbler.

German and Dutch: from a short form of the personal name Kilian. North German: possibly an occupational name for a ship's captain short for Low German Kilmester (Middle Low German kil ‘keel boat’ + mester ‘master skipper’).

Dutch: from Middle Dutch kidel kedel ‘smock’ hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who made such garments or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually wore one.

Dutch: topographic name from Middle Dutch kille kiele ‘gully between sandbanks; fairway; anchorage’ or a habitational name from a place so named in Antwerp or from the German city (see 1 above). Polish (Kieł): from kieł ‘tooth fang’ hence a nickname for someone with bad or protruding teeth.

Scottish: variant of Keil. Swedish: of German origin (see above) or an ornamental form of Kil a habitational name from placenames such as Kila in the province of Värmland or Kilby in the province of Uppland named with kil- ‘wedge’. Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Kil.