NameCensus.

UK surname

Keaveny

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Caomhánaigh referring to a descendant of Caomhánach.

In the 1881 census there were 15 people recorded with the Keaveny surname, ranking it #31,451 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 132, ranked #25,882, up from #31,451 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea, Wigan and York.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keaveny is 143 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 780.0%.

1881 census count

15

Ranked #31,451

Modern count

132

2016, ranked #25,882

Peak year

2010

143 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keaveny had 15 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,451 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016, ranked #25,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 64 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Mature Families.

Keaveny surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keaveny surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keaveny 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 18 #31,580
1881 historical 15 #31,451
1891 historical 27 #32,115
1901 historical 64 #27,010
1911 historical 45 #28,332
1997 modern 136 #22,398
1998 modern 141 #22,517
1999 modern 139 #22,884
2000 modern 130 #23,785
2001 modern 125 #24,011
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 121 #24,776
2004 modern 121 #24,939
2005 modern 134 #23,406
2006 modern 129 #24,165
2007 modern 135 #23,824
2008 modern 136 #24,004
2009 modern 138 #24,276
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 140 #24,395
2012 modern 126 #26,148
2013 modern 132 #25,789
2014 modern 138 #25,218
2015 modern 133 #25,729
2016 modern 132 #25,882

Geography

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Where Keavenys 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 Swansea, Wigan, York, St Leonards North and St Leonards South. 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 Swansea 021 Swansea
2 Wigan 031 Wigan
3 York 002 York
4 St Leonards North South Lanarkshire
5 St Leonards South South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keaveny

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keaveny

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Established Mature Families

Nationally, the Keaveny surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Mature Families, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Keaveny household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples predominate, many with older dependent children. Detached housing is common. Homeownership rates are the highest within this Supergroup. The presence of some students suggests that households are towards the end of a child rearing phase. Many residents have degree level qualifications, and the occupational profile is heavily skewed towards managerial and professional occupations. Residential developments commonly occur on the periphery of major urban cities or conurbations.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Keaveny is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Keaveny 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

Keaveny falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Keaveny 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Keaveny

The surname Keaveny is of Irish origin, originating from the Gaelic "O Ceithearnach" meaning "kern" or "foot-soldier." The name is believed to have first emerged in the 15th century from the counties of Donegal and Sligo in the northwest of Ireland.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The name is mentioned in reference to several individuals who served as soldiers or warriors during the turbulent period of Irish history.

One of the most notable early bearers of the name was Tadhg Og O Ceithearnach, who lived in the late 15th century and was a prominent leader in the O'Donnell clan of Donegal. He is recorded as having led his clan's forces in battles against rival clans and English forces.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as "O'Kearney," "O'Kearny," and "O'Kerney" in various records and manuscripts. During this time, the name was also associated with the Maguire clan of Fermanagh, where they served as hereditary standard-bearers.

As the centuries progressed, the name evolved into its modern spelling of "Keaveny." Notable individuals bearing this surname include:

1. Patrick Keaveny (1778-1856), an Irish-born soldier who fought in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. 2. John Keaveny (1825-1891), an Irish-born Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Savannah, Georgia, in the United States. 3. Mary Keaveny (1858-1939), an Irish-born educator and activist who founded several schools for girls in Ireland. 4. Michael Keaveny (1880-1944), an Irish-born businessman who co-founded the Keaveny Brothers Construction Company in New York City. 5. Thomas Keaveny (1892-1964), an Irish-born labor leader and politician who served as a member of the Canadian Parliament.

The surname Keaveny has a rich history rooted in the ancient Gaelic traditions of Ireland, with its origins dating back to the medieval era. While the name has evolved in spelling over time, it continues to be a proud reminder of the military and cultural heritage of its bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keaveny families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keaveny 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. Cheshire leads with 6 Keavenys recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.61x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 6 18.61x
Yorkshire 6 4.15x
Derbyshire 1 4.37x
Lancashire 1 0.58x
Staffordshire 1 2.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 5 Keavenys recorded in 1881 and an index of 108.46x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 5 108.46x
Chester St Oswald 4 689.66x
Antrobus 1 5000.00x
Ballidon 1 10000.00x
Farnworth 1 96.15x
Ilkley 1 416.67x
Kingswood 1 10000.00x
Walsall Foreign 1 39.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charlotte 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Faith 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
Michael 2
Patrick 2
Frederick 1
Martin 1
Peter 1
Wm.Kean 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 Keaveny households.

FAQ

Keaveny surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keaveny surname in 1881?

In 1881, 15 people were recorded with the Keaveny surname. That placed it at #31,451 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keaveny surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016. That gives Keaveny a modern rank of #25,882.

What does the Keaveny surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Caomhánaigh referring to a descendant of Caomhánach.

What does the Keaveny map show?

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