NameCensus.

UK surname

Keary

A Irish surname derived from "O'Ciaráin" meaning "descendant of Ciarán".

In the 1881 census there were 177 people recorded with the Keary surname, ranking it #13,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 481, ranked #10,275, up from #13,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westburn and Newton, South Gloucestershire and Vicarland and Cairns.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keary is 483 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 171.8%.

1881 census count

177

Ranked #13,889

Modern count

481

2016, ranked #10,275

Peak year

2010

483 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keary had 177 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 481 in 2016, ranked #10,275.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 283 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Keary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keary surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keary 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 161 #12,288
1861 historical 202 #11,906
1881 historical 177 #13,889
1891 historical 231 #13,472
1901 historical 283 #12,117
1911 historical 234 #13,526
1997 modern 425 #10,510
1998 modern 428 #10,810
1999 modern 439 #10,673
2000 modern 433 #10,750
2001 modern 425 #10,716
2002 modern 435 #10,736
2003 modern 419 #10,875
2004 modern 418 #10,923
2005 modern 415 #10,878
2006 modern 403 #11,187
2007 modern 422 #10,904
2008 modern 429 #10,850
2009 modern 457 #10,532
2010 modern 483 #10,301
2011 modern 456 #10,676
2012 modern 444 #10,775
2013 modern 460 #10,661
2014 modern 479 #10,417
2015 modern 476 #10,379
2016 modern 481 #10,275

Geography

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Where Kearys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Penicuik and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Westburn and Newton, South Gloucestershire, Vicarland and Cairns, Hillingdon and Manchester. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Penicuik Edinburgh
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westburn and Newton South Lanarkshire
2 South Gloucestershire 011 South Gloucestershire
3 Vicarland and Cairns South Lanarkshire
4 Hillingdon 022 Hillingdon
5 Manchester 030 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keary

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keary

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Keary, 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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Keary is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Keary is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Keary falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Keary 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 Keary, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Keary

The surname Keary originated in Ireland and is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name O'Ciardha or O'Ciaruaidh. It derives from the word "ciar" meaning black or dark, with the suffix "aidh" denoting a descendant. This indicates that the name likely referred to someone with dark features or complexion.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Annals of Ulster in the year 1226 as O'Ciaruaidh. It was primarily found in County Sligo and County Mayo in the Connacht province of western Ireland. Variations of the spelling included Keary, Keerie, Kearie, Keary, and Kery.

In the 16th century, Annals of the Four Masters mention a notable bearer of the name, Ruaidhri O'Ciaruaidh, who was described as the Chief Historical Ollamh (or scholar) of Leyny, a territory in County Sligo. This suggests that the family held a respected position in the region.

The Keary surname is also found in historical records such as the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the late 16th century, indicating the presence of the family in Ireland during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname Keary include:

1. Anne Keary (1825-1879), an Irish novelist and children's writer. 2. Charles Francis Keary (1848-1917), an English writer and poet, best known for his translations of Ancient Greek literature. 3. Annie Keary (1825-1879), an English novelist and children's writer, sister of Charles Francis Keary. 4. Patrick J. Keary (1857-1923), an Irish-American lawyer and politician who served as the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1905 to 1909. 5. William Keary (1912-1967), an English actor and playwright, known for his role in the film "The Ipcress File" in 1965.

While the surname Keary is not as common as some other Irish names, it has a rich history rooted in the Gaelic tradition of western Ireland, with variations in spelling and notable bearers of the name across different fields over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keary families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keary 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. Lancashire leads with 40 Kearys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.94x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 40 1.94x
Middlesex 29 1.67x
Essex 20 5.84x
Midlothian 15 6.45x
Yorkshire 14 0.81x
Suffolk 10 4.73x
Kent 9 1.52x
Staffordshire 9 1.54x
Surrey 5 0.59x
Shropshire 4 2.67x
Wiltshire 4 2.61x
Denbighshire 3 4.57x
Leicestershire 3 1.56x
Cheshire 2 0.52x
Norfolk 2 0.75x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.62x
Berkshire 1 0.77x
Cornwall 1 0.51x
Durham 1 0.19x
Hampshire 1 0.28x
Herefordshire 1 1.40x
Roxburghshire 1 3.18x
Royal Navy 1 4.83x
Warwickshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 10 Kearys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.99x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 10 7.99x
West Ham 9 11.89x
Inveresk 7 111.11x
Manchester 7 7.56x
Penicuik 7 221.52x
Sheffield 6 10.95x
St Marylebone London 6 6.47x
Walthamstow 6 48.62x
Chatham 4 24.54x
Chippenham 4 124.22x
Enfield 4 35.12x
Kirkdale 4 11.54x
Leeds 4 4.12x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 6.44x
Walsall Foreign 4 13.21x
West Derby 4 6.64x
Willesden 4 24.43x
York St Saviour 4 243.90x
Bermondsey 3 5.80x
Birkdale 3 57.58x
Bridgnorth St Mary 3 205.48x
Broughton 3 116.28x
Islington London 3 1.78x
Kensington London 3 3.11x
Melton 3 361.45x
Salford 3 4.95x
Shoreditch London 3 3.99x
Walton On Hill 3 26.88x
Westminster St James 3 16.81x
Woodbridge 3 111.11x
Wymondham 3 769.23x
Chipping Ongar 2 338.98x
Deptford St Nicholas 2 42.55x
Gillingham 2 16.38x
Great Totham 2 444.44x
Great Yarmouth 2 9.05x
Hopwood 2 74.35x
Ipswich St Helen 2 79.68x
Paddington London 2 3.13x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 5.72x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 2.98x
Birmingham 1 0.69x
Blackburn 1 1.82x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 6.11x
Brentwood 1 47.85x
Chester St John Baptist 1 14.51x
Dartford 1 16.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.07x
Everton 1 1.52x
Glazeley 1 5000.00x
Hawick 1 14.20x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 4.47x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 16.86x
Leominster Out 1 149.25x
Norton Folgate London 1 175.44x
Royal Navy 1 5.65x
Ryde 1 13.09x
Sandhurst 1 39.68x
Shire Hall Yard 1 555.56x
Toxteth Park 1 1.43x
Tranmere 1 7.10x
Tywardreath 1 79.37x
Wolstanton Oldcott 1 47.17x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Keary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 177 people were recorded with the Keary surname. That placed it at #13,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 481 in 2016. That gives Keary a modern rank of #10,275.

What does the Keary surname mean?

A Irish surname derived from "O'Ciaráin" meaning "descendant of Ciarán".

What does the Keary map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Keary 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.