Kayser
A German surname from a word meaning “emperor,” originally a title and later a family name.
The #9,415 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 89,388 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Kayser is a German surname from Middle High German and Old High German forms meaning “emperor.” The word ultimately comes from Latin Caesar, the Roman family name that became a title for emperors. Historical spelling varied widely, with forms such as Kaiser and Kayser reflecting older German orthography.
History
The name is found as a hereditary surname in German-speaking regions, and it also appears in variant spellings such as Kaiser and Cayser. Because the underlying word was a title, it may have begun as a nickname for someone associated with imperial authority, or as an honorific-style byname. The spelling Kayser is now less common than Kaiser, but both belong to the same surname tradition.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Harrison noted that German Kaiser is one of the oldest German words borrowed from Latin, going back to Caesar.
From the historical record
“KAISER "I (Ger.) Emperor, Cssar [O.H.Ger. KAYSER J fejjwr = O.Sax. Usur = Goth. kaisar; all f. Lat, Caesar] 'Kaiser' is the oldest German word borrowed from Latin. Cp. Cayser in Diet. KAUFFMANN \ (Ger.) Merchant; Trades- KAUFMANN J man [Ger. kaufmann, O.H.Ger.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)