keller

Keller is a surname of German origin. The word Keller in modern German means cellar or basement, and the surname most likely originated as a topographic designation for someone who lived near a cellar or as an occupational name for a cellar keeper.

Notable people with the surname include Gottfried Keller (1819–1890), a Swiss poet and novelist best known for his realistic prose and the novel Green Henry; and Helen Keller (1880–1968), an American author and political advocate whose work raised awareness of disabilities and helped advance education and rights for people with disabilities.

Places bearing the name include Keller, Texas, a city in Tarrant County within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The name appears in other localities in North America and Europe as a reflection of German heritage and settlement.

In German usage, Keller remains the standard term for a cellar and is common in place names and compound words across German-speaking regions. As a surname, Keller is widespread among German-speaking populations and their descendants, and it appears in various cultural, academic, and public contexts.