Research shows that the German surname Keyser is of nickname origin,
 belonging to that category of names based on a physical or personal
characteristic of the original bearer. During the Middle Ages, with the growth in
 trade and commerce, the need for accurate documentation and records was
 increasing. It was becoming necessary to identify each person by
 another name, a surname, as so many people had the same first name.
 Nicknames were very common in medieval Europe, and were often adopted by
 their bearer as a surname.

The numerous pageants and festivals of importance in the otherwise
 drab life of the people in the cities and small towns during the Middle
 Ages tended to nickname the actors who often played the same part year
 after year.  A common character in these plays was the King, in German
 "koenig" or "Kaiser". The modern surname Keyser is a derivative of
 Kaiser (Caesar), and is often simplified to Kyser and Kiser. These
 nicknames may also have denoted some actual or assumed kingly qualities
 or appearance in the original bearer.

In the Records of Hesse there is reference to Jacob Keyser, a resident
 of Worms in 1279.  In the Records of Furstenberg a man called Kaiser
 was living in Hayingen in 1271. One of the most notable bearers of
 the surname was Georg Kaiser (1878-1945), a German dramatist, born at
Magdenburg,  who was known as the playwright of Expressionism because his
style was analogous to that of the Expressionists in art.

BLAZON OF ARMS:
AZURE, A DOUBLE EAGLE SABLE,  HOLDING IN THE DEXTER CLAW A SCEPTRE, AND IN THE SINISTER CLAW A SWORD, BOTH ARGENT.

TRANSLATION:
BLUE, WITH A  DOUBLE HEADED BLACK EAGLE (ONE HEAD FACING RIGHT, THE OTHER LEFT), HOLDING IN THE RIGHT CLAW A SCEPTRE, AND IN THE LEFT CLAW A SWORD, BOTH OF WHICH ARE WHITE (OR SILVER).

THE EAGLE DENOTES MAGNANIMITY, PROTECTION AND FORTITUDE OF MIND. THE
SCEPTRE IS AN EMBLEM OF JUSTICE AND THE SWORD DENOTES MILITARY HONOUR.
THE HERALDIC COLOUR AZURE SIGNIFIES LOYALTY AND TRUTH.

CREST:
A CROWN OR (GOLD), LEAVED AND SUSPENDED.

ORIGIN:
GERMANY

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