'beekeeper' originates from English, specifically formed as a compound of the Old English word 'bēo' (bee) and the verb 'cēpan' (to keep), with the agent-forming suffix '-er' creating 'keeper'.

'bee' developed from Old English 'bēo' to Middle English 'be(e)' and modern English 'bee'; 'keep' comes from Old English 'cēpan' which became Middle English 'kep(e)n' and later produced the agent noun 'keeper', and the compound 'beekeeper' emerged in Middle/Modern English as the modern word 'beekeeper'.

Initially it meant 'a person who keeps bees', and over time this basic meaning has remained largely unchanged into modern usage.