The municipality lies in the Vulkaneifel, a part of the Eifel known for its volcanic history, geographical and geological features, and even ongoing activity today, including gases that sometimes well up from the earth.

The name Rothenbach may well come from a mineral spring near the village whose water is reddish owing to its high iron content.

The area around Kelberg, though, had already once been settled by Romans, as witnessed by finds on the Hochkelberg, one of the Eifel’s highest mountains.

On 1 January 1970, the four until then self-administering municipalities of Hünerbach (82 inhabitants), Köttelbach (146), Rothenbach (127) and Zermüllen (182) were amalgamated with Kelberg.

The German blazon reads: In Silber eine von einem blau-silbernen verwechselten Wellenbalken überdeckte rote Spitze, darin oben fächerförmig fünf goldene Ähren und unten eine goldene Waage.

The municipality's arms might in English heraldic language be described thus: Argent a pile transposed gules and a fess wavy abased azure, changing to the field where it surmounts the pile, above the fess five ears of wheat fanned and banded Or and below a pair of balances of the same.

Kelberg was an important market community in the Middle Ages, and as a main centre in the Electoral-Trier Amt of Daun had its own court.