NameCensus.

UK surname

Keats

An English surname possibly derived from the Old English pre-7th century word "cyte" meaning cottage.

In the 1881 census there were 665 people recorded with the Keats surname, ranking it #5,412 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 640, ranked #8,269, down from #5,412 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trowbridge, London parishes and Corfe Castle. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Walsall, Tandridge and Watford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keats is 702 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.8%.

1881 census count

665

Ranked #5,412

Modern count

640

2016, ranked #8,269

Peak year

2000

702 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keats had 665 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,412 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 640 in 2016, ranked #8,269.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 665 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Keats surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keats surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keats 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 402 #6,020
1861 historical 409 #6,283
1881 historical 665 #5,412
1891 historical 608 #6,315
1901 historical 648 #6,656
1911 historical 652 #6,430
1997 modern 656 #7,617
1998 modern 679 #7,657
1999 modern 685 #7,639
2000 modern 702 #7,473
2001 modern 686 #7,479
2002 modern 699 #7,522
2003 modern 668 #7,672
2004 modern 669 #7,682
2005 modern 648 #7,792
2006 modern 630 #7,995
2007 modern 637 #7,998
2008 modern 634 #8,060
2009 modern 638 #8,186
2010 modern 648 #8,260
2011 modern 657 #8,088
2012 modern 665 #7,926
2013 modern 663 #8,082
2014 modern 659 #8,161
2015 modern 657 #8,121
2016 modern 640 #8,269

Geography

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Where Keats' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trowbridge, London parishes, Corfe Castle and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Walsall, Tandridge, Watford and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Trowbridge Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Corfe Castle Dorset
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Walsall 012 Walsall
2 Walsall 006 Walsall
3 Tandridge 010 Tandridge
4 Watford 011 Watford
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 021 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keats

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keats

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Keats surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Keats household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Keats 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

Keats is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Keats falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Keats is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Keats

The surname Keats originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the early 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "cet," which means "hut" or "cottage." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a small dwelling or a particular area known for its cottages.

Keats as a surname is found in various historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1199, where a person named William Kete is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also lists a John Ket in Huntingdonshire. These early records demonstrate the name's presence in different regions of England during the medieval period.

The surname Keats is also linked to several place names in England, such as Keats Green in Staffordshire and Keats Cottage in Hampstead, London. The latter was the former residence of the renowned Romantic poet John Keats, who lived from 1795 to 1821 and is arguably the most famous bearer of this surname.

Other notable individuals with the surname Keats include:

1. Gwendolen Keats (1859-1945), an English philanthropist and social reformer. 2. Henry Keats (1726-1804), an English writer and playwright. 3. Sir Richard Goodwin Keats (1757-1834), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. 4. John Keats (1895-1987), an English cricketer who played for Essex and England. 5. Ezra Jack Keats (1916-1983), an American writer and illustrator of children's books, best known for "The Snowy Day."

Throughout its history, the surname Keats has undergone various spellings, including Ket, Kete, and Keyte, reflecting the regional variations and evolution of the English language over time. While its origins can be traced back to the 13th century, the name continues to hold significance, particularly due to its association with the celebrated Romantic poet John Keats.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keats families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keats 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. Dorset leads with 131 Keats' recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.14x.

County Total Index
Dorset 131 31.14x
Middlesex 77 1.20x
Staffordshire 62 2.87x
Surrey 62 1.99x
Hampshire 43 3.27x
Somerset 43 4.17x
Berkshire 31 6.44x
Devon 27 2.02x
Lancashire 22 0.29x
Kent 20 0.91x
Sussex 18 1.67x
Essex 12 0.95x
Monmouthshire 12 2.59x
Nottinghamshire 12 1.39x
Gloucestershire 10 0.80x
Northamptonshire 9 1.49x
Wiltshire 9 1.59x
Oxfordshire 8 2.02x
Glamorgan 7 0.63x
Warwickshire 7 0.43x
Buckinghamshire 5 1.29x
Norfolk 5 0.51x
Cornwall 3 0.41x
Northumberland 3 0.31x
Suffolk 3 0.38x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.49x
Channel Islands 2 1.05x
Cheshire 2 0.14x
Flintshire 2 1.16x
Lanarkshire 2 0.10x
Yorkshire 2 0.03x
East Lothian 1 1.18x
Herefordshire 1 0.38x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.79x
Worcestershire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 30 Keats' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.37x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 30 5.37x
Corfe Castle 16 410.26x
Melcombe Regis 15 86.06x
Islington London 14 2.25x
Plymouth St Andrew 13 12.65x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 5.23x
Walsall Foreign 12 10.74x
Leyton 11 50.48x
Bedwellty 10 12.22x
Newington 10 4.22x
Portland 10 44.21x
Portsea 10 3.88x
Brighton 9 4.13x
Burton Upon Trent 9 17.78x
Christchurch 9 31.60x
Earley 9 112.36x
Leek Lowe 9 31.27x
Northam 9 92.59x
Affpuddle 8 747.66x
Broadmayne 8 714.29x
Camberwell 8 1.95x
Cobham 8 156.25x
Kensington London 8 2.25x
Letcombe Regis 8 860.22x
Trowbridge 8 31.94x
Witney 8 120.85x
Wolverhampton 8 4.81x
Aldershot 7 15.91x
Aston 7 1.57x
Fordington 7 77.26x
St Marylebone London 7 2.05x
Burnham 6 76.34x
Glastonbury 6 71.26x
Sherborne 6 48.43x
Sixpenny Handley 6 291.26x
Sparsholt 6 618.56x
St Pancras London 6 1.16x
Winfrith Newburgh 6 284.36x
Woolwich 6 7.43x
Aisholt 5 1851.85x
Bray 5 35.39x
Charlton Next Woolwich 5 21.93x
Chesham 5 35.01x
Dorchester All Sts 5 248.76x
Holdenhurst 5 14.51x
Lancaster 5 11.05x
Liverpool 5 1.08x
Mansfield 5 16.73x
Newcastle Under Lyme 5 13.06x
St George Hanover Square 5 4.43x
Stinsford 5 675.68x
Willesden 5 8.28x
Bideford 4 27.99x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 4 117.30x
Durweston 4 487.80x
Eastbourne 4 8.05x
Hackney London 4 1.11x
Llantwit Major 4 183.49x
Northampton St Sepulchre 4 13.04x
Paddington London 4 1.70x
Portsmouth 4 13.22x
Ringwood 4 47.62x
Runham 4 203.05x
Swanage 4 77.07x
Upway 4 250.00x
Westbury On Trym 4 9.39x
Woodsford 4 975.61x
Bulwell 3 15.97x
Charminster 3 89.55x
Everton 3 1.24x
Farnworth 3 6.58x
Finchley 3 12.21x
Hatch Beauchamp 3 375.00x
Minster 3 303.03x
Northampton St Giles 3 13.07x
South Bersted 3 32.64x
Taunton St James 3 19.93x
Tynemouth 3 5.87x
Warmwell 3 750.00x
Weymouth 3 37.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Elizabeth 30
Sarah 18
Jane 16
Alice 12
Eliza 12
Emma 12
Ann 11
Annie 11
Emily 9
Louisa 8
Susan 8
Caroline 7
Anne 6
Fanny 6
Harriet 6
Martha 6
Florence 5
Hannah 5
Julia 4
Margaret 4
Ada 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Ethel 3
Matilda 3
Priscilla 3
Sophia 3
Agness 2
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Frances 2
Francis 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Jessie 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Mabel 2
Margret 2
Pauline 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Rosa 2
Ruth 2
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 40
George 32
Charles 24
Thomas 21
Henry 20
John 20
Albert 13
James 13
Joseph 11
Robert 10
Arthur 9
Walter 8
Edward 6
Frank 6
Alfred 5
Frederick 5
Harry 4
David 3
Edwin 3
Samuel 3
Alphonse 2
Archibald 2
Benjamin 2
Bertram 2
Daniel 2
Herbert 2
Richard 2
Ebenezer 1
Edmond 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
G.A. 1
Harold 1
Henery 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Jonah 1
Keath 1
Levi 1
Lionel 1
Lloyd 1
Mountford 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
R.G. 1
Richd.Murray 1
Willm.J. 1

FAQ

Keats surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keats surname in 1881?

In 1881, 665 people were recorded with the Keats surname. That placed it at #5,412 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keats surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 640 in 2016. That gives Keats a modern rank of #8,269.

What does the Keats surname mean?

An English surname possibly derived from the Old English pre-7th century word "cyte" meaning cottage.

What does the Keats map show?

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