NameCensus.

UK surname

Keddy

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Céadaigh meaning "descendant of Céadach".

In the 1881 census there were 93 people recorded with the Keddy surname, ranking it #20,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 227, ranked #17,992, up from #20,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newcastle St Andrew, Wigton and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, North Tyneside and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keddy is 238 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 144.1%.

1881 census count

93

Ranked #20,593

Modern count

227

2016, ranked #17,992

Peak year

1999

238 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keddy had 93 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 227 in 2016, ranked #17,992.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 135 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Keddy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keddy surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keddy 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 75 #20,268
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 93 #20,593
1891 historical 102 #23,719
1901 historical 135 #19,203
1911 historical 97 #23,076
1997 modern 216 #16,802
1998 modern 220 #17,074
1999 modern 238 #16,308
2000 modern 219 #17,195
2001 modern 214 #17,211
2002 modern 205 #18,009
2003 modern 200 #18,139
2004 modern 209 #17,706
2005 modern 217 #17,217
2006 modern 215 #17,441
2007 modern 209 #17,951
2008 modern 208 #18,171
2009 modern 220 #17,911
2010 modern 235 #17,477
2011 modern 225 #17,841
2012 modern 222 #17,921
2013 modern 233 #17,606
2014 modern 229 #17,925
2015 modern 227 #17,941
2016 modern 227 #17,992

Geography

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Where Keddys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newcastle St Andrew, Wigton, Edinburgh, Manchester and Stranton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, North Tyneside, Newcastle upon Tyne and Purbeck. 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 Newcastle St Andrew Northumberland
2 Wigton Cumberland
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Stranton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 030 Barnsley
2 North Tyneside 027 North Tyneside
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 002 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 North Tyneside 026 North Tyneside
5 Purbeck 006 Purbeck

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keddy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keddy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Keddy, 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 Keddy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Keddy 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Keddy 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

Keddy 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

Keddy 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 Keddy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

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

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Keddy

The surname Keddy has its origins in Scotland and is believed to have originated from the Gaelic word "cedadh" which means "contention" or "strife". This name was likely given to someone who had a combative or argumentative personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Keddy can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where a certain Adam Keddy is listed as a landowner in Lanarkshire, Scotland. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Keddy family was well-established in the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the areas around Jedburgh and Hawick. The name is also found in various spellings such as Keddey, Keddie, and Caddie during this period.

The Keddy surname appears to have been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such example is John Keddy (1715-1786), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1786.

Another notable figure bearing this surname was James Keddy (1788-1856), a Scottish-born farmer and politician who emigrated to Nova Scotia, Canada in the early 19th century. He served as a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1836 to 1851.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Keddy name can be found in the 18th century. William Keddy (1732-1809) was a Scottish-born soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Pennsylvania.

Another prominent individual with the Keddy surname was Mary Keddy (1837-1914), a Scottish-born women's rights activist and suffragist who was instrumental in the campaign for women's suffrage in Canada.

Finally, it is worth mentioning James Keddy (1869-1946), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1917 to 1925, representing the riding of South York, Ontario.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keddy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keddy 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 38 Keddys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.42x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 38 4.42x
Cumberland 16 21.41x
Northumberland 9 6.97x
Durham 8 3.10x
Fife 5 9.73x
Lancashire 3 0.29x
Midlothian 3 2.58x
Cheshire 2 1.04x
Lanarkshire 2 0.71x
Middlesex 1 0.12x
Renfrewshire 1 1.49x
Surrey 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caldewgate in Cumberland leads with 15 Keddys recorded in 1881 and an index of 366.75x.

Place Total Index
Caldewgate 15 366.75x
Jesmond 9 494.51x
Tankersley 8 1250.00x
Sheffield 6 21.91x
Stranton 6 69.04x
Ferry Port On Craig 5 588.24x
Walton In Wetherby 5 8333.33x
York St Lawrence 5 555.56x
Holy Trinity 3 14.50x
Thornaby 3 93.46x
Barony 2 2.82x
Bridlington 2 101.52x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 2 294.12x
Stayley 2 91.32x
Stockton On Tees 2 16.06x
Wigan 2 13.90x
Battersea 1 3.13x
Cheetham 1 13.02x
Ecclesfield 1 15.85x
Kensington London 1 2.07x
Kilbarchan 1 49.02x
Kirkby Moorside 1 181.82x
New Malton 1 97.09x
Old Malton 1 185.19x
Sculcoates 1 7.33x
South Leith 1 7.65x
Wigton 1 89.29x
York St Maurice 1 61.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 8
Mary 7
Maria 4
Annie 3
Sarah 3
Ada 2
Hannah 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Susannah 2
Ann 1
Annetta 1
B.M. 1
Bridget 1
Catherina 1
Elizabeth 1
Harriett 1
Lucy 1
M.Ellen 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
William 4
George 2
James 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Caleb 1
David 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
Ralph 1
Robert 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Keddy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keddy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 93 people were recorded with the Keddy surname. That placed it at #20,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keddy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 227 in 2016. That gives Keddy a modern rank of #17,992.

What does the Keddy surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Céadaigh meaning "descendant of Céadach".

What does the Keddy map show?

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