Keister
A surname most likely from a Germanic personal name or a regional spelling of a similar-sounding name, later carried into English-speaking countries.
The #7,317 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 67,707 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Keister is generally treated as a Germanic surname that entered English-speaking usage through German-speaking immigrants and their descendants. In many cases it is thought to be a variant spelling of a name based on a personal name such as Kister, Kuster, or a similar regional form, rather than a straightforward English word surname. Because surnames of this type were often reshaped by spelling variation in immigrant communities, the exact root can differ by family line.
History
The name is most familiar in the United States, especially in areas with strong German or Pennsylvania German settlement. As with many immigrant surnames, spellings shifted over time in church, census, and civil records, which helped produce the modern form Keister. Some families may have unrelated origins, so local records are important for genealogy.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In American English, keister also became a slang word for the buttocks, but that usage is separate from the surname and should not be confused with it.