Family History

Origins of the Surname

Variations of the Surname

Armorial Bearings

 & Motto(es)

Ancestral Lineage

Researching

by Location

Migration Routes

Source Documents

Web Resources

Family Images Gallery

Contact Information

Family history

Family history

      Anthony Keller, Sr., is recognized as the progenitor of my Keller ancestors in America.  He was born 1710 at Lettweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany.  In 1730 he married Anna Maria Barbara Chateau (Schatto) a French Huguenot, at Meisenheim, Rheinland-Pfalz.   Three children are known to have been born at Lettweiler between 1731 and 1736.  As their daily lives do not indicate improvement they eventually made a decision to go to America to find a better life.  To finance their trip they most likely borrowed what money they could, sold much of what they possessed, and only packed what would be deemed as essential to their survival for next six months or more.  The highway out of Germany in those times was the Rhine River.  Anthony, Anna Maria and their three young children spent at least four weeks on their journey, in a wooden raft floating down this river to Rotterdam in Holland.   Along the way they were subjected to various departure taxes and to frequent tolls. This severely depleted the meager funds generated from the resources they had planned to live on during the trip.   Upon arrival in Rotterdam they encamped for a time, while awaiting a ship that would take them on their long journey to the "New World."  Their stay at this port may have been as long as six weeks.   Eventually they boarded a ship named the “Loyal Judith” where the family was allotted a small space to live in the ship’s hold.   Soon after the ship left Rotterdam for England, a journey of almost two weeks.  In England the ship would wait at least a week for the ship to make ready for the Atlantic Crossing.       Following a three-month ordeal on the high seas hampered by the storms and cursed by the high mortality and sickness among the passengers, under adverse sanitary and eating conditions, the Keller family eventually docked at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 25 November 1740.       Upon their arrival in the Province of Pennsylvania it is believed that Anthony took his family out of Philadelphia on a Native-American trail along the Schuylkill River towards the northern reaches of old Lancaster County.   It is not clear as to where Anthony chose to settle but it is most probable that it was in that area known to the early German pioneers as the “Tulpehocken Settlement” or Hanover Township of Lancaster county.  In those days the Tulpehocken area covered parts of present day Lebanon, and Berks counties. Between 1643 and 1650 at least four additional children were born the Anthony and Anna Marie Keller.  One of then being my 6^th great-grandfather Anthony Keller, Jr. born in 1744.    It is believed that Anthony, Sr. and most of his grown children removed to York County possibly around the year 1760.   Anthony lived in Pennsylvania for almost 43 years until he passed away at his home in the eastern part York County in 1783.

     Anthony Keller, Jr. married Maria Kohler, a native of York County, around the year 1769.  Together they had at least eight children, between 1770 and 1783, of which six were daughters one of whom is my 5^th great-grandmother Catherine Elizabeth Keller born in 1770.  It is known that Anthony lived in that part of Windsor Township that now lies in present day Lower Windsor Township.     Anthony Jr. has been identified as a patriot of the American Revolutionary War.  Records show him on York County Militia muster rolls as a member in the 3rd Battalion Capt. Jacob Bieber’s 1^st Company (1777);  1st Battalion, Capt. Michael Kauffelt’s Company (1781);  3rd Battalion Capt. Jacob Bieber’s 1^st Company (1777);  and 1st Battalion, Capt. Michael Kauffelt’s Company (1781).   Anthony was an active member of the Canadochly Evangelical and Reformed Church.  During his lifetime the church was formed in 1763 and the original building was opened in 1764 when he was 20 years old.  In 1801 he and Michael Kauffett represented the Lutherans on the committee to build a new church.  Anthony passed away in January 1817 at the age of about 73.  He is buried in the Canadochly Cemetery, Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania.

    Catherine Elizabeth Keller married Johann Georg Lieberknecht circa 1790.  Of this union at least six children were born between 1792 and 1814.   My ancestral lineage continues through their son Johann George Lieberknecht born in 1797.  Catherine died at the age of 80 years and was buried March 1851 in the Canadochly Cemetery, Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania.

Origins of the surname

An Introduction to the Surname

Source/Meaning of the Surname

History of

the Surname

More About

 Surnames

An Introduction to the Surname 

             The practice of inherited family surnames began in England and France during the late part of the 11^th century.   Surnames were first utilized in the Germanic region of central Europe during the second half of the 12th century.  The custom of taking on surnames began in the southern areas of Germany, and gradually spread northward during the Middle Ages.  It took about three hundred years for this tradition to apply to most families and become a constant part of one’s identity. 

     With the passing of generations and the movement of families from place to place many of the original identifying names were altered into some of the versions that we are familiar with today.  Over the centuries, most of our European ancestors accepted their surname as an unchangeable part of their lives.  Thus people rarely changed their surname.  Variations of most surnames were usually the result of an involuntary act such as when a government official wrote a name phonetically or made an error in transcription.  Research into the record of this Keller family line indicates that the variations, meanings and history of this surname are most likely linked to that area of Europe where German linguistic traditions are commonly found. 

Source and Meaning of the Surname

German surnames, as means of conveying lineage, were developed from four major sources: (1) Patronymic & Matronymic surnames most common in northern Germany are based on a parent’s first name, such as Niklas Albrecht (Niklas son of Albrecht);  (2) occupational surnames are last names based on the person’s job or trade for example Lukas Fischer (Lukas the Fisherman);  (3) descriptive surnames are based on a unique quality or physical feature of the individual like Karl Braun (Karl with brown hair); (4) geographical surnames are derived from the location of the homestead from which the first bearer and his family lived such as Leon Meer (Leon from by the sea), or derived from the state, region, or village of the first bearer's origin for example Paul Cullen (Paul from Koeln/Cologne).

     The German surname of Keller is of three-fold origin as follows (1)  it was a descriptive name for someone with some deformity of the throat or neck, perhaps a goitre, which was common in Alpine regions;  (2) an occupational name originated from Middle High German kellaere ‘cellarman’, ‘cellar master’ (Latin cellarius, denoting the keeper of the cella ‘store chamber’, ‘pantry’). Hence an occupational name for the overseer of the stores, accounts, or household in general in, for example, a monastery or castle; (3) it was also a geographical name for someone who lived by a narrow gorge or valley.  

History of the Surname

The German surname Keller, and its variant spellings, have traveled widely in many forms throughout Europe.  First found in the Germanic region of Swabia, where the name was closely identified in mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout this geographical area.   Keller is a very early Germanic surname and is one of the very first recorded in that country.  Kellers who derived their name from their occupation were important as trusted stewards in a great household, and in some cases were promoted to ministerial rank. Thus the surname is widespread throughout central Europe.  The Keller name does tend to be confused with the English versions, and particularly so in the United States where immigration from both countries was at its height in the 18th century.  In any case the name from both countries is often in the same spelling, which is perhaps not surprising as they share similar pre 7th century "Anglo-Saxon" roots. 

     The Keller surname appeared quite early into the former British colonies of North America, especially William Penn’s colony of Pennsylvania. One reason for this was that after the kings of Hanover, Germany, also became kings of England in 1715, German emigration to America was greatly encouraged. Many of these German immigrants, particularly those with easy English equivalents, were encouraged and in some case required to change to an English spelling.   Also many German surnames were re-spelled in America because of the close relationship between the English and German languages.  In some cases Germans are able to transform their names to the English form just by dropping a single letter. This was the case with many sea captains or their agents who, when making up the ships passenger lists, found it easier to use a more familiar English spelling.   After the start of World War One, Germans in great numbers Anglicized their names in an effort to remove all doubt as to their patriotism. 

More About Surname Meanings & Origins

German Surnames

 Many German names have their roots in the Germanic Middle Ages. The process of forming family names began early in the 12^th Century and extended through the 16^th century. All social classes and demographic strata aided in the development of names. First Names (Rufnamen) identified specific persons. Over time the first name began to be applied to the bearer's whole family.  At first through verbal usage, family names (Familiennamen) were later fixed through writing.  Until the 17th century, first names played a more important role. The earliest family names derived from the first name of the first bearer (Patronym). Later names derived from the place of dwelling and location of the homestead.  If a person of family migrated from one place to another they were identified by the place they came from.  Of more recent origin are names derived from the vocation of profession of the first bearer. These names comprise the largest group and the most easily recognizable, for they tell what the first bearer did for a living.  Another group are names derived from a physical or other characteristic of the first bearer.  Finally, there are names that tell you the state or region a first bearer and his family came from; the age old division in tribes and regions (Low German, Middle German and Upper German) is often reflected in names.

Variations of the surname

Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to unfold and expand often leading to an overwhelming number of variants.  As such one can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames because in early times, spelling in general and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized.  Later on spellings would change with the branching and movement of families.  Spelling variations of the German family name include: Keller, Keler, Kelle, Kellaere, Kellere, Kellner, Kaeller, Kaellner, Kelner, Celler, Cellner, Celer, Celner, Kellern, Cellern and many others.  Spelling variations of the Scottish and Irish family name include: Keller, Kellar, Keeler, Keilor, Keiler, Keillor, Keiller, Kelour, MacKeller.

The complexity of researching records is compounded by the fact that in many cases an ancestors surname may also have been misspelled.  This is especially true when searching census documents.  The Soundex Indexing System was developed in an effort to assist with identifying spelling variations for a given surname.  Soundex is a method of indexing names in the 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 US Census, and can aid genealogists in their research.  The Soundex Code for Keller is K460.  Other surnames sharing this Soundex Code: KAHLER | KALER | KAYLOR | KEELER | KELLAR | KELLEHER | KELLIHER | KILROE | KILROY | KOEHLER | KOHLER | KOLLER | KYLER |.

Searching for more Information about this and other surnames?

Then take a look at our:

SURNAME LOCATOR

RESOURCES WEBPAGE

Family coat of arms

In the Middle Ages heraldry came into use as a practical matter. It originated in the devices used to distinguish the armored warriors in tournament and war, and was also placed on seals as marks of identity. As far as records show, true heraldry began in the middle of the 12th century, and appeared almost simultaneously in several countries of Western Europe.  Heraldry spread to the German burgher class in the 13th century, and even some peasants used arms in the 14th century.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

ARMORIAL BEARINGS

There are at least 42 known associated armorial bearings for Keller and close variant spellings recorded in Reitstap’s Armorial General. The following additional information has been found regarding the coats-of-arms shown at the left:

Figure 1: Coat of Arms granted in 1737 to Keller a nobleman of Prussia.   The shield is gold and charged with three black eagle heads.  The crest contains a single eagle head.

Figure 2: Armorial bearings granted to a Keller of Germany possibility as early as 1485.  The shield shows a pale of green and another of red the first is charged with the stem and trunk of a tree sprouting out three branches, the second pale has a knife positioned vertically.  The crest contains a helmet on a torse of alternately colored red and green all topped  with the arms of the shield.

Figure 3: shield of the arms granted to a Keller of Nördlingen, Bavaria. The crest (not shown) is a lion rising.

Figure 4: Coat of Arms granted, in 1578, to a Keller of Bavaria.

Figure 5: This coat of arms is attributed to a Keller of Germany.  It features a silver key on a red shield.  The use of a key as a charge is quite common among several of the Keller arms.  Kellers of Prussia Wurttemberg and Fribourg all have arms containing a red shield and one or two silver keys. 

Figure 6: This shield is attributed to Keller probably of Prussia.  It contains three eagle heads on a red shield.

Figure 7: This coat of arms is attributed to a Keller of England. Although the use of the fleur-de-lis is uncommon for this family this type of charge is found on the arms of a Keller from Basel and a Kellner of Frankfurt.    

Figure 8: These armorial bearings were granted to a Keller from Basel in Switzerland.  It features a silver pelican tending her young on a green mound. 

Figure 9: This coat of arms is attributed to a Kell of the British Isles.

Figure 10: The same arms of Kell but with the addition of three wheat sheaves in the green chevron.

Figure 11: This coat of arms is recognized belonging to a Keller of Scotland.  The shield is black with three gold acorns one above the other, the center acorn flanked by two silver disks.

Figure 12: Shield of Kellar or McKellar possibly from the area of Angus in Scotland.

MOTTOES

No Keller family mottoes are known. It is unusual for a German Achievement to include a motto.

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

Fig. 9

Fig. 10

Fig. 11

Fig. 12

A Coat of Arms is defined as a group of emblems and figures (heraldic bearings) usually arranged on and around a shield and serving as the special insignia of some person, family, or institution.  Except for a few cases, there is really no such thing as a standard "coat of arms" for a surname.  A coat of arms, more properly called an armorial achievement, armorial bearings or often just arms for short, is a design usually granted only to a single person not to an entire family or to a particular surname.  Coats of arms are inheritable property, and they generally descend to male lineal descendents of the original arms grantee.  The rules and traditions regarding Coats of Arms vary from country to country. Therefore a Coat of Arms for an English family would differ from that of a German family even when the surname is the same.  The art of designing, displaying, describing, and recording arms is called heraldry. The use of coats of arms by countries, states, provinces, towns and villages is called civic heraldry.   Some of the more prominent elements incorporated into a  coat of arms are :

Crest - The word crest is often mistakenly applied to a coat of arms.  The crest was a later development arising from the love of pageantry.  Initially the crest consisted of charges painted onto a ridge on top of the helmet.

Wreath or Torse – The torse is a twist of cloth or wreath underneath and part of a crest. Always shown as six twists, the first tincture being the tincture of the field, the second the tincture of the metal, and so on.

Mantling – The mantling is a drapery tied to the helmet above the shield. It forms a backdrop for the shield.

Helm or Helmet - The helmet or helm is situated above the shield and bears the torse and crest. The style of helmet displayed varies according to rank and social status, and these styles developed over time, in step with the development of actual military helmets.

Shield or Arms - The basis of all coats of arms.  At their simplest, arms consist of a shield with a plain field on which appears a geometrical shape or object.  The items appearing on the shield are known as charges.

Motto - The motto was originally a war cry, but later mottoes often expressed some worthy sentiment. It may appear at the top or bottom of a family coat of arms.

Direct Ancestors

Descendant Register

Generation 1

Anthony Keller I-1 was born on 1710 in Lettweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. He died on 1783 in Pennsylvania. He married Anna Maria Barbara Chateau (Schatto) on 12 Dec 1730 in Meisenheim,   Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, daughter of Johann Nicholas Chateau (Schatto) and Maria Chateau (Schatto) (Nee?). She was born on Abt. 1710 in Avignon, Vaucluse, France?. She died on Aft. 1755 in Pennsylvania.

Children of Anthony Keller I and Anna Maria Barbara Chateau (Schatto) are:

2.            i.       Johann Peter Keller, B: 30 Apr 1731 in Lettweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, D:  Lincoln County, North Carolina.

3.            ii.        Elisa Katherina Keller, B: 13 Mar 1736 in Lettweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany,

      Aft. 1762 in North Carolina, M: 17 Apr 1759 in York County, Pennsylvania.

4.            iii.       Johann Nikolaus Keller, B: 13 Mar 1736 in Lettweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany,

      Jan 1802 in Lower Windsor, York County, Pennsylvania, M: York County,  Pennsylvania.

vi.      Anna Maria Keller, B: 06 May 1743 in Hanover Twp.?, Lancaster Co.,  Pennsylvania, D: 1788

           in Rockingham County, Virginia, M: 20 Oct 1765 in  Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

5.            v.       Anthony Keller II, B: Abt. 1744 in Hanover Twp.?, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, D:  01 Jan 1817 in Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania, M: 1769 in York,  York Co., Pennsylvania.

6.            vi.       Johann Michael Keller, B: 24 Oct 1745 in Hanover Twp.?, Lancaster Co.,   Pennsylvania, D: Bef. 1807 in Lincoln County, North Carolina, M: 12 May 1767 in  York Co., Pennsylvania.

7.            vii.     John Keller, B: Abt. 1750 in Hanover Twp.?, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, D:  1802 in York County, Pennsylvania.

Generation 2

Anthony Keller II-2(Anthony Keller I-1) was born on Abt. 1744 in HanoverTwp.?, Lancaster Co.,  Pennsylvania. He died on 01 Jan 1817 in Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania. He married Maria Elizabeth Kohler on 1769 in York, York Co., Pennsylvania, daughter of Johan Georg Kohler and Anna Barbara Kohler (Nee?). She was born on 30 Oct 1747 in York County,  Pennsylvania. She died on 12 May 1802 in Lower Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania.

Children of Anthony Keller II and Maria Elizabeth Kohler are:

8.            i.         Catherine Elizabeth Keller, B: 16 Apr 1770 in York County, Pennsylvania, D: 25  Mar 1851 in York County, Pennsylvania, M: 1790 in Pennsylvania.

ii.            Anthony Keller III, B: 02 May 1772 in York Co., Pennsylvania.

9.            iii.     Peter Keller, B: 29 Jan 1774 in York Co., Pennsylvania, D: 22 Apr 1873 in York  County, Pennsylvania, M: 1799.

10.         iv.     Sophia Keller, B: 1776 in York County, Pennsylvania, D: Aft. Apr 1826 in York County, Pennsylvania, M: 1796.

11.         v.    Magdalena Keller, B: 1778 in York Co., Pennsylvania, D: Aft. 1818 in York  County, Pennsylvania, M: 1797 in York County, Pennsylvania.

12.         vi.       Elizabeth Keller, B: 05 Jun 1779 in York County, Pennsylvania, D: 21 Nov 1851.

13.         vii.   Christine Keller, B: Abt. 1781 in York County, Pennsylvania, D: Aft. 1830 in York  County, Pennsylvania, M: 17 Nov 1813 in (Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church),  York, York Co., Pennsylvania.

14.        viii.     Susanna Keller, B: 12 Jan 1783 in York County, Pennsylvania, D: Aft. 1825 in  York County,

                 Pennsylvania, M: 1803.

Generation 3

Catherine Elizabeth Keller-3(Anthony Keller II-2, Anthony Keller I-1) was born on 16 Apr 1770 in York County, Pennsylvania. She died on 25 Mar 1851 in York County, Pennsylvania. She married Johann Georg Lieberknecht on 1790 in Pennsylvania, son of Johann Friedrich Lieberknecht and Catharina Lieberknecht (Nee?). He was born on 31 Jan 1768 in York County, Pennsylvania. He died on 12 Sep 1846 in York County, Pennsylvania.

Children of Catherine Elizabeth Keller and Johann Georg Lieberknecht are:

i.             Daughter? Lieberknecht, B: 03 Oct 1792.

ii.            Helena Lieberknecht, B: 08 Oct 1793 in Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania.

iii.          Peter Lieberknecht, B: 27 Jan 1796 in Windsor Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania.

                        vi.       Johann George Lieberknecht, B: 02 Nov 1797 in York County, Pennsylvania, D:  08 Oct 1863 in

                                   York County, Pennsylvania

                                   County, Pennsylvania, M: 18 Apr 1822 in York Co., Pennsylvania.

iv.          Elizabeth Lieberknecht, B: 19 Nov 1809 in York County, Pennsylvania.

       v.       Samuel L Lieberknecht, B: 21 Jan 1814 in York Co., Pennsylvania, D: 10 Mar  1880 in York Co.,

                 Pennsylvania.

Additional information about our DIRECT ANCESTORS  as well as a complete listing of individuals with this surname may be reviewed by clicking on the following LINK.

DKPS Surname Locator

Use this free genealogy site to help you get the best genealogy searches from Google™ by using your family tree, for your research. It will create a series of different searches using tips or "tricks" that

will likely improve your results. The different searches will give you many different ways of using Google and the Internet to find ancestry information about this or any other Surname. 

Ancestral locations

Researching the locations where our ancestors lived has provided us with valuable evidence needed to fill-in the gaps in our family trees.  It has also led us to many interesting facts that enhance the overall picture of each family group.

Locations of

Direct Ancestors

Locational Distribution

of  this Surname

Where In the World

are my Ancestors?

Locatiof Direct Ancestors

The names of states and counties on the following list were derived from the known places where the Direct Ancestors named in the “Ancestral Lineage” (see above) were born, married, and / or died.

COUNTRY

STATE

COUNTY / SUBDIVISION

GERMANY

RHEINLAND-PFALZ

Lettweiler;   Meinsenheim

UNITED STATES

PENNSYLVANIA

Lancaster Co., York Co.

Use this LINK to find out more about the locations listed above.

ANCESTRAL LOCATIONS

locational distribution

     Knowing the geographical areas where the surname you are researching is clustered and distributed is an indispensable tool in deciding where to focus your research.  We believe that the “Public Profiler” website will open up to you a wide range of solutions which implement current research in spatial analysis.  This site provides an array of local spatial information tools useful to the genealogist.

     The information presented below shows where this surname is distributed within the United States as well as the country of origin of this family.  In addition is a listing of the top countries in the world where this surname is highly clustered. 

United States of America

Top Countries

European Country of Origin

Country

FPM*

* = frequency per million

Key

Click on the LINK to the right to see more information about the World distribution of this surname. 

You can get greater detail for any of the following maps by clicking on the area, i.e state, county that you are interested in.

Resources which enhance our knowledge of the places inhabited by our ancestors are almost as important as their names. The LINK to the right will take you to Maps, Gazetteers,   and  other  helpful   resources 

that will assist in discovering Ancestral Locations.  These web sites comprise only a small portion of what is available for researchers interested in learning more about the areas in which their ancestors lived.

Migration routes

Tracing our own family’s paths of migration can prove crucial in identifying previous generations and eventually, figuring out where and how they arrived in the “New World” as well as where they eventually settled.  Knowing the network of trails American pioneers traveled can help you guess where to start looking.  The trail map(s) provided below may assist you in understanding the routes that our direct ancestors of this family may have taken to find new homes and opportunities in the vast area now encompassed by the United States.

     During the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries hundreds of thousands of Europeans made the perilous ocean voyage to North America.  For many it was an escape from economic hardship and religious persecution.  For most it was an opportunity for to start over, own their own land, and make a better future for their descendents.  Immigration records show a number of people bearing the name of Keller, or one of its variants, as arriving in North America between the 17^th and 20^th centuries.  Some of these immigrants were:  Jacob Kelner, who came to Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1683. Johannes and Eva Maria Keler arrived together in Philadelphia in 1737. Bernard Keller settled in Carolina or Pennsylvania in 1743.

Use the following links to find more early immigrants with this surname:

$ Search Ancestry.com Immigration Records; or Free Ship’s Passenger lists at OliveTreeGenealogy.com

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Tulpehocken, Lancaster Co., PA  c.1741

Anthony Keller his wife and three children emigrated from the Rhineland area of western Germany in 1740.  They sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to America on the “Loyal Judith” and arrived at the port of Philadelphia, in the Province of Pennsylvania, on 25 November 1740.  The following description of the Keller family migration route from between the years 1741 and circa 1760 are purely speculative*.  From Philadelphia they probably traveled on the “Perkiomen Path” northwest along the Schuylkill River to the tiny settlement that would eventually become Reading.  From Reading they would take the “Tulpehocken Path” to the Tulpehocken Settlement near present day Womelsdorf.  From here they would have moved into what is now Swatara Township which was first settled about 1737 and incorporated in 1813 from Bethel and Hanover Townships.  It is not known how long Anthony lived here. 

Tulpehocken, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania  to York County, Pennsylvania c.1760

The place of Anthony Keller’s circa 1783 death is not clearly known but it is probable that he may have moved west across the Susquehanna River and into York County, around 1760,  with his now adult children.   We know that his sons Nicholas, John, and Anthony Keller, Jr. all settled in what is now Lower Windsor Township, in York County.  His daughters Katherina, and Maria, as well as his son Michael all eventually moved on down the Great Wagon Road and settled in the colonies of Virginia and North Carolina. 

*The locales noted on this map have been derived from the places where researchers cite the births of Anthony Keller’s children between 1741 and 1750.  Citations regarding Hanover, York County; Northampton County; Adams County; and Tulpehocken, Berks County are frequent.  The common factor with all of these places is that they are wide-spread and many are not at locations that would be normally conducive with a western migration from Philadelphia to York county.  It is almost impossible to believe that Anthony Keller lived in such far-flung places during a 10 year period.      Based upon the aforementioned citations we have hypothesized that most of these children were born in Hanover Township, Lancaster County.  This conclusion is based upon the following factors: (1) the areas now known as York, Berks and Adams counties were a part of Lancaster county between 1729 and 1749.  As such any children born up to c. 1750 were probably born in Lancaster county; (2) the locale of Tulpehocken, as provided for the c. 1744 birth of Anthony Keller, Jr., is believed to be the Trinity Tuplehocken Reformed Church the eastern part of Lebanon County and organized in 1727 by Tulpehocken settlers. This church is approximately 10-15 miles from a possible settlement in Hanover Township a place where many German immigrants settled before moving west across the Susquehanna River;  (3) the Hanover cited is most likely Hanover Township (shown below) which at that time incorporated huge parts of present day Dauphin and Lebanon counties.  Therefore it is possible that any records noted as Hanover Twp., Lancaster County could be later erroneously cited as Hanover, York County, as well as Northampton County which also has a Hanover Township, because there is no Hanover Township in present day Lancaster County.   

MAP NOTES:

The   line denoted the eastern boundary of Lancaster county up to the establishment of Berks County in 1752.

TOWNSHIPS: The area shown in comprises the original Tulpehocken section that began to be settled by German pioneers between 1723 and 1733.   The four townships of Bethel, Tulpehocken, Bern, and Heidelburg were established between 1729 and 1739.  The original Hanover Township shown in   was organized at a session of the Lancaster County Court in 1736-1737.

TRAILS:  The Perkiomen Path was created by Native-Americans as a principal route from the Delaware River to the Susquehanna River.  It started at present day Philadelphia and ran to the settlement known as Weiser’s at present day Womelsdorf from here it branched with the Allegheny Path going west to Paxtang (now Harrisburg).  The Tulpehocken Path traveled north from Weiser’s to Shamokin (now Sunbury).   The Paxtang Path was oriented in a north south direction and followed the Susquehanna River between Sunbury and Columbia in Lancaster County.

from the keyboard you can increase or decrease the zoom value in 10% increments.

To zoom , press  and the   button. To zoom , press  and the

   button.  To restore the zoom to 100%, press  and the  button.

Source documents

The documents contained within the “Source Documents Archives” have been located during my research of this family, and used as evidence to prove many of the facts contained within the database of this family’s record.

     Most of these documents can be considered as primary or secondary evidence.  Primary evidence is usually defined as the best available to prove the fact in question, usually in an original document or record.  Secondary evidence is in essence all that evidence which is inferior in its origin to primary evidence. That does not mean secondary evidence is always in error, but there is a greater chance of error.  Examples of this type of evidence would be a copy of an original record, or oral testimony of a record’s contents.  Published genealogies and family histories are also secondary evidence.

     Classifying evidence as either primary or secondary does not tell anything about its accuracy or ultimate value.  This is especially true of secondary evidence.  Thus it is always a good idea to ask the following questions: (1) How far removed from the original is it, (when it is a copy)?; (2) What was the reason for the creation of the source which contains this evidence?; and (3) Who was responsible for creating this secondary evidence and what interest did they have in its accuracy?

SOURCE:  Greenwood, Val D., The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, 2^nd edition, Genealogical Publishing  Co., Baltimore, MD 21202, 1990, pgs. 62-63

You are welcome to download any of the documents contained within this archive.

  Should you encounter a problem obtaining a copy you may get in touch with

 us via the contact information found at the end of this page.

Use the following LINK to view the source documents pertaining to this family.

SOURCE DOCUMENTS

Web resources

This search engine may

provide you with additional

information to assist with

your research about this topic.

Our SURNAME LOCATOR AND RESOURCES web page contains the following: (1) links that will take you to an updated listing of all surnames as posted in our three databases at the Rootsweb WorldConnect Project; (2) the Surname List Finder a tool that finds sound-alike matches for a given surname from among RootsWeb's thousands of surname lists; (3) the Soundex Converter that can be used to find the soundex code for a surname, plus other surnames/spellings sharing the same soundex code;  (4) Surname Message Boards the world's largest online genealogy community with over 17 Million posts on more than 161,000 boards; (5) Surname Mailing Lists of all surnames having mailing lists at RootsWeb, as well as topics that include (6) Surname Heraldy, and  (7) Mapping a Surname. 

Your genealogy research of this surname can be facilitated by use of SURNAME WEB. This website links to the majority of the surname data on the web, as well as to individual family trees, origin and surname meaning if known, and many other related genealogy resources. 

SURNAME FINDER provides easy access to free and commercial resources for 1,731,359 surnames. On each surname specific "finder" page, you can search a variety of online databases all pre-programmed with your surname.

Use ALL SURNAMES GENEALOGY to get access to find your surname resources .  There are almost 1300 links in this directory.

Linkpendium Surnames - Web sites, obituaries, biographies, and other material specific to a surname.

Cyndi's List - Surnames, Family Associations & Family Newsletters Index - Sites or resources dedicated to specific, individual family surnames.

Free Genealogy Search Help for Google - This free genealogy site will help you use Google™ for your research. It will create a series of different searches using tips or "tricks" that will likely improve your results. The different searches will give you many different ways of using Google to find ancestry information on the Internet. 

FamilySearch.org - Family History and Genealogy Records - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.

Top Genealogical Websites - These mighty roots resources compiled by “Family Tree Magazine”, will give you the power to bust through research brick walls and find answers about your ancestors—all from your home computer.

SurnameDB Free database of surname meanings - This site SurnameDB.Com contains a large FREE to access database (almost 50,000 surnames) on the history and meaning of family last names.

Public Profiler / World Names - Search for a Surname to view its Map and Statistics.

The following Link will take you to our library of genealogy reference books.   Here you will find bibliographies, family histories and books about names.  In addition, there are texts that pertain to ethnic and religion groups, history, geography as well as other books that will assist you with your research.

 Research Library – Table of Contents

Go directly to the collection for Names

Images gallery

During my research I have collected images and photographs that are of general interest to a particular family.  Some of them are presented on this website because I believe they tend to provide the reader with additional information which may aid in the understanding of our ancestors past lives.

If you have any photographs or other images relating to this

ancestral family we would greatly appreciate hearing from you.

Use the following LINK to ascertain whether we have any images that pertain to this family.

FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS and IMAGES

Use the power of Google™ to find more interesting images about this topic. A Click on this button will link you to the Google Images Search page. 

Enter the topic you are searching in the box and click “Search Images”. At the “Images” display page you will see the image, as well as the website of which it is associated.

Contact Information

Email

Snail Mail:

Fred
889 Dante Ct.
Mantua, NJ 08051

USA

Email

Snail Mail:

Fred
889 Dante Ct.
Mantua, NJ 08051

USA