NameCensus.

UK surname

Keany

Variant spelling of Irish surname Kane, derived from Irish Ó Cathan meaning descendant of Cathan.

In the 1881 census there were 28 people recorded with the Keany surname, ranking it #29,646 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 188, ranked #20,417, up from #29,646 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Luton and South Ribble.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keany is 213 in 2003. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 571.4%.

1881 census count

28

Ranked #29,646

Modern count

188

2016, ranked #20,417

Peak year

2003

213 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keany had 28 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,646 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016, ranked #20,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 55 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Keany surname distribution map

The map shows where the Keany surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Keany surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keany over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 25 #28,853
1861 historical 38 #29,216
1881 historical 28 #29,646
1891 historical 25 #32,259
1901 historical 55 #28,064
1911 historical 47 #28,110
1997 modern 169 #19,578
1998 modern 186 #18,918
1999 modern 193 #18,642
2000 modern 205 #17,940
2001 modern 199 #17,996
2002 modern 212 #17,651
2003 modern 213 #17,395
2004 modern 205 #17,935
2005 modern 197 #18,339
2006 modern 185 #19,204
2007 modern 187 #19,271
2008 modern 182 #19,800
2009 modern 180 #20,341
2010 modern 183 #20,586
2011 modern 176 #20,957
2012 modern 168 #21,516
2013 modern 182 #20,795
2014 modern 188 #20,503
2015 modern 190 #20,272
2016 modern 188 #20,417

Geography

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Where Keanys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Luton and South Ribble. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 026 Wakefield
2 Wakefield 022 Wakefield
3 Wakefield 020 Wakefield
4 Luton 005 Luton
5 South Ribble 007 South Ribble

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keany

These lists show first names that appear often with the Keany surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keany

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Keany, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Keany surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Keany household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Keany is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Keany is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Keany falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Keany is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Keany, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Keany

The surname Keany is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic name "O Ciadhain," which means "descendant of Cian." The name can be traced back to the ancient Irish kingdom of Mide (Meath) in the 8th century.

The earliest recorded instance of the Keany surname dates back to the 11th century, when it appeared in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a "Maol Muire O Ciadhain," who was the abbot of a monastery in County Meath.

In the 13th century, the surname was well-established in the Meath region, with several notable figures bearing the name. One such figure was Aodh O Ciadhain, a prominent landowner and chieftain who lived in the late 1200s.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Keany surname spread to other parts of Ireland, particularly the counties of Galway, Mayo, and Sligo. This was likely due to the Plantation of Ulster, a period of organized settlement and colonization of the northern Irish provinces by English and Scottish settlers.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Keany was John Keany (1819-1887), an Irish-born prelate who served as the first Bishop of Richmond, Virginia, in the United States. He played a significant role in the growth of the Catholic Church in the American South during the latter half of the 19th century.

Another notable bearer of the name was Michael Keany (1871-1927), an Irish politician and member of the First Dáil, the revolutionary parliament of the Irish Republic. He was a prominent figure in the Irish independence movement and served as a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the Irish War of Independence.

In the 20th century, the Keany surname gained recognition through individuals such as Patrick Keany (1901-1985), an Irish-American labor leader and prominent figure in the American labor movement. He served as the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters from 1952 to 1957.

Bridget Keany (1937-2020) was a renowned Irish artist and sculptor known for her abstract works and public art installations. Her sculptures can be found in various locations throughout Ireland and the United States.

While the Keany surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly in areas with significant Irish diaspora populations, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keany families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keany surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 9 Keanys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.21x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 9 3.21x
Ayrshire 8 37.81x
Lanarkshire 7 7.65x
Lancashire 3 0.89x
Royal Navy 1 29.67x
Warwickshire 1 1.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wakefield in Yorkshire leads with 9 Keanys recorded in 1881 and an index of 418.60x.

Place Total Index
Wakefield 9 418.60x
Girvan 8 1509.43x
Hamilton 4 156.86x
West Derby 3 30.55x
New Monkland 2 74.07x
Govan 1 4.42x
Solihull 1 196.08x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Keany surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 2
Winifred 2
Catherine 1
Nora 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Keany surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
James 2
John 2
Edward 1
Francis 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Keany households.

FAQ

Keany surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keany surname in 1881?

In 1881, 28 people were recorded with the Keany surname. That placed it at #29,646 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keany surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016. That gives Keany a modern rank of #20,417.

What does the Keany surname mean?

Variant spelling of Irish surname Kane, derived from Irish Ó Cathan meaning descendant of Cathan.

What does the Keany map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Keany bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.