Kaiser is a surname derived from the German imperial title ''

Kaiser ''Kaiser'' is the German word for "emperor" (female Kaiserin). In general, the German title in principle applies to rulers anywhere in the world above the rank of king (''König''). In English, the (untranslated) word ''Kaiser'' is mainly ap ...

'' (English:

emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

). The title ''Kaiser'' is in turn derived from the Latin title ''

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caes ...

'', which again is a derivation from the personal name of a branch of the ''gens'' (clan)

Julia Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of the name Julio and Julius. (For further details on etymology, see the Wiktionary entry "Julius".) The given name ''Julia'' had been in use throughout Late Antiquity (e.g. ...

, to which belonged

Gaius Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

, the forebear of the first

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

imperial family. The name is not especially frequent (ca. 0.05% in Germany), but it is still ranked 41st in Germany ). Regions in Germany where it is more frequent are central Germany and the southern half of the

Black Forest The Black Forest (german: Schwarzwald ) is a large forested mountain range in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, bounded by the Rhine Valley to the west and south and close to the borders with France and Switzerland. It is t ...

area, and to a lesser extent

Southern Germany Southern Germany () is a region of Germany which has no exact boundary, but is generally taken to include the areas in which Upper German dialects are spoken, historically the stem duchies of Bavaria and Swabia or, in a modern context, Bavaria ...

. It is also used in Austria and the Czech Republic. Variation spellings rooted in the Kaiser surname are Kayser, Keiser, Kiser, and Kyser.

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words in different languages that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymology, etymological ancestor in a proto-language, common parent language. Because language c ...

s of the surname include Keizer, (De)

Keijzer Keijzer is a Dutch surname meaning "emperor" (modern Dutch ''keizer''). The name contains a ij digraph that is often replaced with a "y", especially outside the Netherlands. Among variant forms of the surname are ''Keijser'', ''Keijsers'', ''Keijze ...

, (De) Keyser, and Dekeyser.

Notable people with the surname

Max Keiser Timothy Maxwell "Max" Keiser (born January 23, 1960) is an American broadcaster and film maker. He hosted ''Keiser Report'', a financial program broadcast on RT that featured heterodox economics theories. Until November 2012, Keiser anchored '' ...

Timothy Maxwell "Max" Keiser (born 1960), American broadcaster and film maker * Abraham Kaiser (1852–1912), American businessman and politician *

A. Dale Kaiser Armin Dale Kaiser (November 10, 1927 – June 5, 2020) was an American biochemist, molecular geneticist, molecular biologist and developmental biologist. Biography Kaiser received in 1950 his bachelor's degree from Purdue University and in 1955 h ...

(born 1927), American molecular biologist *

Axel Kaiser Axel Phillip Kaiser Barents-Von Hohenhagen (born 4 July 1981) is a Chilean writer, lawyer and political scientist. A Mont Pelerin Society member, he has collaborated as a columnist for ''El Mercurio'', ''El Líbero'' and ''Diario Financiero'' ...

(born 1981), Chilean writer and lawyer * Carlos Kaiser (footballer) (born 1963), Brazilian fake footballer * David Kaiser (disambiguation), several people *

Elisabeth Kaiser Elisabeth Kaiser ( Lier, born 4 March 1987) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) who has been serving as a member of the Bundestag from the state of Thuringia since 2017. Early career During her studies, Kaiser worked a ...

(born 1987), German politician *

Franz Kaiser Franz Heinrich Kaiser (25 April 1891 – 13 March 1962) was a German astronomer. He worked at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl Observatory from 1911 to 1914 while working on his Ph.D. there, which he obtained in 1915. During this time, Heidelberg was ...

(1891–1962), German astronomer *

Frederik Kaiser Frederik Kaiser (Amsterdam, 10 June 1808 – Leiden, 28 July 1872) was a Dutch astronomer. He was director of the Leiden Observatory from 1838 until his death. He is credited with the advancement of Dutch astronomy through his scientific c ...

(1808–1872), Dutch astronomer * Gabriele Kaiser (active since 1997), German mathematics educator *

Georg Kaiser Friedrich Carl Georg Kaiser, called Georg Kaiser, (25 November 1878 – 4 June 1945) was a German dramatist. Biography Kaiser was born in Magdeburg. He was highly prolific and wrote in a number of different styles. An Expressionist dramatist, ...

(1878–1945), German expressionist playwright *

George Kaiser George Bruce Kaiser (born October 30, 1943) is an American billionaire businessman. He is the chairman of BOK Financial Corporation in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As of September 2021, he is the 476th richest person in the world and was, in 2012, one of ...

(born 1942), American businessman *

Glenn Kaiser Glenn Kaiser (born January 21, 1953) is a Chicago-based Christian blues musician, singer, songwriter and pastor. He was the leader of Resurrection Band and is currently the leader of The Glenn Kaiser Band. Personal life Childhood Kaiser's ol ...

(born 1953), American blues musician *

Faruk Kaiser Faruk Kaiser (6 June 1918 – 10 November 1987) was an Urdu poet and a renowned lyricist in India, making a significant contribution to the success of many Bollywood films. He was one of the dominating forces of music in Indian Cinema during the ...

(1918–1987), Indian Urdu poet and lyricist *

Henry J. Kaiser Henry John Kaiser (May 9, 1882 – August 24, 1967) was an American industrialist who became known as the father of modern American shipbuilding. Prior to World War II, Kaiser was involved in the construction industry; his company was one of ...

(1882–1967), American industrialist *

Henry Kaiser (musician) Henry Kaiser (born September 19, 1952) is an American guitarist and composer, known as an idiosyncratic soloist, a sideman, an ethnomusicologist, and a film score composer. Recording and performing prolifically in many styles of music, Kaiser is ...

(born 1952), American musician *

Hilmar Kaiser Hilmar Kaiser is a German historian who has a PhD from European University Institute, Florence, and works at Yerevan State University Yerevan State University (YSU; hy, Երևանի Պետական Համալսարան, ԵՊՀ, ''Yerevani Peta ...

, German historian *

Jack Kaiser John Warren Kaiser (October 6, 1926 – May 25, 2022) was Athletics Director Emeritus at St. John's University in Queens, NY. He was an American baseball player, college coach, and administrator. As a player, he helped St. John's to the 1949 Co ...

(born 1926), American baseball player, coach, and athletic director *

James Kaiser James Frederick Kaiser (Dec. 10, 1929 – Feb. 13, 2020) was an American electrical engineer noted for his contributions in signal processing. He was an IEEE Fellow and received many honors and awards, including the IEEE Centennial Medal, the I ...

(born 1929), American electrical engineer *

Johannes Kaiser Johannes "Jo" Kaiser (27 February 1936 in Jüngersdorf, Düren – 17 December 1996 in Zürich, Switzerland) was a West German athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres. He committed suicide in 1996. He competed for the United Team of ...

(1936–1996), German Olympic sprinter *

Johannes Kaiser (Chilean politician) Johannes Maximilian Kaiser Barents-von Hohenhagen (born 5 January 1976) is a German Chileans, German-Chilean people, Chilean YouTuber and politician. He was a member of José Antonio Kast's Republican Party (Chile, 2019), Republican Party, from wh ...

(born 1976), Chilean YouTuber and deputy * John Anthony Kaiser (1932–2000), American Roman Catholic priest *

Joseph Kaiser Joseph Kaiser (born October 14, 1977 in Montreal) is a Canadian operatic tenor and theatre actor, known for appearing in Kenneth Branagh's English-language film version of ''The Magic Flute.'' Career In 2005, Kaiser won second prize in Pláci ...

(born 1977), Canadian opera singer *

Louise Kaiser Louise Kaiser ( Medemblik, 15 October 1891 – Bussum, 2 April 1973) was a Dutch phonetician and linguist and the first female lecturer at the University of Amsterdam and became known for her research into the phonetic and physical-anthropological ...

(1891–1973), Dutch phonetician and linguist * Kajetan Georg von Kaiser (1803–1871), German chemist *

Kyle Kaiser Kyle Kaiser (born March 5, 1996) is an American racing driver from Santa Clara, California, and won the 2017 Indy Lights Championship with Juncos Racing. He is also currently enrolled in classes part-time at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, ...

(born 1996), American racing driver *

Ken Kaiser Kenneth John Kaiser (July 26, 1945 – August 8, 2017) was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1977 to 1999. He spent 13 years in the minor leagues and 23 years in the major leagues, a total of 36 yea ...

(1945–2017), American Major League Baseball umpire * Mehboob Ali Kaiser (born 1958), Indian politician *

Oldřich Kaiser Oldřich Kaiser (born 16 May 1955) is a Czech television, film, and stage actor known mostly for his comedic roles. Education and career Kaiser graduated from the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague in 1978. He began his acting career with the ...

(born 1955), Czech comedy actor * Philip Mayer Kaiser (1913–2007), United States diplomat *

Reinhard Keiser Reinhard Keiser (9 January 1674 – 12 September 1739) was a German opera composer based in Hamburg. He wrote over a hundred operas. Johann Adolf Scheibe (writing in 1745) considered him an equal to Johann Kuhnau, George Frideric Handel and Georg ...

(1674–1739), German composer *

Robert Blair Kaiser Robert Blair Kaiser (January 11, 1931 – April 2, 2015) was an American author and journalist, best known for his writing on the Catholic Church. Biography Kaiser trained as a Jesuit from 1949 to 1959. He left the order and his intention to be or ...

(1931–2015), American writer and journalist * Robert G. Kaiser (born 1943), American journalist of ''The Washington Post'' *

Roland Kaiser Roland Kaiser (born Ronald Keiler; 10 May 1952) is a German Schlager singer. He is one of the most successful German-speaking Schlager singers. Keiler was born in West Berlin. He was working as a marketing executive in a car firm where he wa ...

(born 1952), German musician *

Roland Kaiser (actor) Roland Ernst Wolf Kaiser (9 April 1943 – 4 January 1998) was a German actor. He appeared in 27 films and television series between 1954 and 1997. He also worked as a voice actor, dubbing foreign films for release in Germany. Filmography E ...

(1943–1998), German actor *

Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser (born June 18, 1943) is a German writer and record producer. He is best known as the founder of the Ohr, Pilz, and Cosmic Couriers record labels. These labels released many of the earliest Krautrock albums in the early 1970s, a ...

(born 1943), German record producer *

Rudolf Kaiser Rudolf Kaiser (10 September 1922 – 11 September 1991) was a designer of glider (sailplane), gliders who worked for Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. The designs of Rudolf Kaiser have proven themselves for over 50 years all over the world. His d ...

(1922–1991), German sailplane designer * S. M. Kaiser, Indian association football player * Stien Kaiser (born 1938), Dutch speed skater *

Tim Kaiser Tim Kaiser is a television producer who has worked on such shows as '' Seinfeld'', including the famous " Soup Nazi" episode, as well as ''Will and Grace Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the dispositio ...

, American television producer * Vanessa Kaiser (born 1978), Chilean politician and academic * Walter Kaiser Jr. (born 1933), American biblical scholar

References

{{surname Occupational surnames German-language surnames Jewish surnames Surnames from nicknames