rs151290 in KCNQ1 and rs972283 in KLF14 have been evaluated in terms of risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the results are inconsistent. We performed an meta-analysis to assess the contributions of rs151290 in KCNQ1 and rs972283 in KLF14 to risk of T2DM. We searched the worldwide literature published from 2008 to 2013 in MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL and Chinese databases. Two reviewers extracted data independently using a standardized protocol, and any discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer. Fixed- and random-effects meta-analyses were performed to pool the odds ratios (ORs). Publication bias and heterogeneity were examined. A total of 11 articles were included in the meta-analysis: 6 studies with 6696 cases and 7151 controls investigated rs151290 in KCNQ1, and 5 studies with 50,552 cases and 106,535 controls investigated rs972283 in KLF14. We obtained highly significant ORs for the risk allele C for rs151290 and the risk allele G for rs972283. The population attributable risk percentage for rs151290 and rs972283 was 6.83% and 4.18%, respectively. The risk allele C of rs151290 in KCNQ1 and risk allele G of rs972283 in KLF14 were both associated with increased risk of T2DM in a global population.