NameCensus.

UK surname

Keefe

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Caoimh, meaning "descendant of Caomh," a personal name derived from caomh, meaning "gentle, kind."

In the 1881 census there were 1,285 people recorded with the Keefe surname, ranking it #3,178 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,421, ranked #4,295, down from #3,178 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Rochdale and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale, East Lindsey and Wrexham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keefe is 1,659 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.6%.

1881 census count

1,285

Ranked #3,178

Modern count

1,421

2016, ranked #4,295

Peak year

1901

1,659 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keefe had 1,285 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,178 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,421 in 2016, ranked #4,295.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,659 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Keefe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keefe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keefe 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 359 #6,583
1861 historical 580 #4,544
1881 historical 1,285 #3,178
1891 historical 1,346 #3,233
1901 historical 1,659 #3,105
1911 historical 1,605 #3,028
1997 modern 1,552 #3,799
1998 modern 1,603 #3,833
1999 modern 1,599 #3,877
2000 modern 1,543 #3,967
2001 modern 1,525 #3,931
2002 modern 1,549 #3,967
2003 modern 1,533 #3,923
2004 modern 1,519 #3,953
2005 modern 1,469 #4,027
2006 modern 1,453 #4,071
2007 modern 1,457 #4,100
2008 modern 1,442 #4,159
2009 modern 1,490 #4,139
2010 modern 1,515 #4,163
2011 modern 1,490 #4,177
2012 modern 1,435 #4,225
2013 modern 1,475 #4,207
2014 modern 1,477 #4,221
2015 modern 1,444 #4,254
2016 modern 1,421 #4,295

Geography

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Where Keefes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Rochdale, London parishes and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale, East Lindsey, Wrexham, Isle of Wight and Leeds. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Rochdale Lancashire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
2 East Lindsey 003 East Lindsey
3 Wrexham 005 Wrexham
4 Isle of Wight 007 Isle of Wight
5 Leeds 013 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keefe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keefe

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Keefe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Keefe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Keefe 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

Keefe 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

Keefe 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 Keefe 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 Keefe, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Keefe

The surname KEEFE originates from Ireland, tracing its roots back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "caomh," meaning gentle or kind. The name first arose in County Galway, situated in the western province of Connacht.

One of the earliest documented references to the KEEFE surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a notable figure named Maolmuire O'Caomh, who lived in the 13th century and held the title of Archbishop of Tuam.

In the 16th century, the KEEFE name appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of official records from the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. This record documents the granting of lands and privileges to individuals, including those bearing the KEEFE surname.

One of the most prominent figures in Irish history with the KEEFE surname was John Keefe (1670-1731), a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Tuam who played a significant role in the Catholic Church's resistance against the Penal Laws imposed on Catholics in Ireland during the 18th century.

Another notable KEEFE was Patrick Keefe (1789-1863), an Irish poet and songwriter who was renowned for his ballads and satirical works. His compositions offered insights into the social and political climate of 19th-century Ireland.

In the realm of literature, Maurice Francis Egan (1852-1924), an American writer and diplomat who was born into an Irish family with the KEEFE surname, made significant contributions. He authored several novels and short stories that depicted Irish-American life and culture.

The KEEFE surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Keefeporth and Keefepark, both located in County Galway. These place names likely originated from individuals with the KEEFE surname who held land or settled in those areas.

Throughout the centuries, the KEEFE surname has undergone various spelling variations, including O'Keefe, Keefe, Keeffe, and Keeffe, reflecting the fluidity of Irish surnames and the influence of regional dialects and anglicization.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keefe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keefe 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. Middlesex leads with 324 Keefes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.57x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 324 2.57x
Lancashire 295 1.97x
Surrey 127 2.07x
Glamorgan 96 4.37x
Kent 69 1.60x
Yorkshire 39 0.31x
Cheshire 38 1.37x
Monmouthshire 35 3.84x
Warwickshire 27 0.85x
Durham 26 0.69x
Angus 21 1.80x
Staffordshire 19 0.45x
Gloucestershire 13 0.53x
Hampshire 13 0.50x
Nottinghamshire 13 0.77x
Devon 12 0.46x
Northumberland 12 0.64x
Cornwall 9 0.63x
Suffolk 9 0.59x
Worcestershire 9 0.55x
Essex 7 0.28x
Sussex 7 0.33x
Derbyshire 6 0.30x
Renfrewshire 6 0.61x
Wigtownshire 6 3.59x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.98x
Channel Islands 5 1.34x
Cumberland 5 0.46x
Hertfordshire 5 0.58x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.50x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.75x
Denbighshire 4 0.84x
Lanarkshire 4 0.10x
Wiltshire 4 0.36x
Dorset 3 0.36x
Royal Navy 3 2.00x
Berkshire 2 0.21x
Somerset 2 0.10x
Bedfordshire 1 0.15x
Herefordshire 1 0.19x
Oxfordshire 1 0.13x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 38 Keefes recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.42x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 38 5.42x
Liverpool 35 3.85x
St George In East London 33 27.84x
St Marylebone London 33 4.90x
Southwark St George Martyr 29 11.43x
Bermondsey 26 6.93x
Bedwellty 24 14.92x
Preston 24 6.00x
Manchester 23 3.42x
Fulham London 22 12.04x
Lambeth 21 1.91x
Merthyr Tydfil 20 9.48x
Oldham 20 4.14x
Swansea Town 20 11.12x
West Derby 20 4.57x
Dukinfield 18 14.00x
Salford 18 4.09x
Birmingham 17 1.60x
St Pancras London 16 1.58x
Ashton Under Lyne 15 4.59x
Cardiff St Mary 15 12.41x
Lancaster 15 16.86x
Newington 15 3.22x
Camberwell 14 1.74x
St Anne Soho London 14 19.45x
Mile End Old Town London 13 4.85x
Deptford St Paul 12 3.62x
Toxteth Park 12 2.37x
Basford 11 14.05x
Bethnal Green London 11 2.01x
Everton 11 2.31x
Kirkdale 11 4.37x
Liff Benvie 11 6.21x
Westminster St John 11 7.17x
Erith 10 23.61x
Faversham 10 24.38x
Middleton In Oldham 10 22.30x
Whitechapel London 10 8.05x
Isleworth 9 16.06x
Linthorpe 9 12.08x
Longbenton 9 11.33x
Minster In Sheppey 9 12.63x
Oldbury 9 11.11x
Shoreditch London 9 1.65x
Wardleworth 9 10.53x
Battersea 8 1.73x
Ipswich St Clement 8 20.50x
Kirkden 8 109.59x
Mile End New Town London 8 32.13x
Neath 8 17.92x
Rainhill 8 83.51x
St George Hanover Square 8 3.60x
Tanfield 8 17.94x
Wigan 8 3.83x
Acton 7 9.47x
Aldershot 7 8.09x
Darlington 7 4.84x
Llandaff 7 9.59x
St Giles In Fields London 7 11.32x
Stockton On Tees 7 3.87x
Tonge 7 22.31x
Trevethin 7 8.14x
Bradford 6 1.98x
Ealing 6 5.33x
Harborne 6 4.40x
Llanwonno 6 7.61x
Newton 6 5.21x
Stranraer 6 39.19x
Walsall Borough 6 18.17x
West Greenock 6 3.42x
Woolwich 6 3.78x
Bangor 5 10.17x
Birkenhead 5 2.25x
Clapham 5 3.17x
Cleator 5 11.07x
Heap 5 6.30x
Huddersfield 5 2.75x
Newbold Dunston 5 26.67x
Perranzabuloe 5 40.62x
Willesden 5 4.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 133
Ellen 56
Catherine 38
Margaret 38
Elizabeth 32
Ann 27
Sarah 24
Alice 16
Julia 16
Bridget 15
Eliza 14
Hannah 14
Jane 10
Anne 8
Emily 8
Maria 8
Agnes 6
Clara 6
Emma 6
Johanna 6
Kate 6
Annie 5
Louisa 5
Margret 5
Ada 4
Fanny 4
Honora 4
Katherine 4
Sophia 4
Susannah 4
Anna 3
Caroline 3
Johannah 3
Rose 3
Susan 3
Edith 2
Eliz. 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Helen 2
Henrietta 2
Isabella 2
Katie 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
M. 2
Martha 2
Theresa 2
E. 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 116
James 65
Thomas 45
William 42
Michael 28
Patrick 28
Daniel 19
Edward 18
Arthur 15
Joseph 15
David 13
Martin 12
Dennis 10
Henry 10
Richard 10
Timothy 9
Alfred 8
Charles 8
George 8
Francis 7
Peter 7
Matthew 5
Albert 4
Cornelius 4
Edmund 4
Ernest 4
Frederick 4
Jeremiah 4
Luke 4
Nicholas 4
Owen 4
Percy 4
Robert 4
Andrew 3
Chas. 3
Mathew 3
Samuel 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Cornelias 2
Herbert 2
Laurence 2
M. 2
Mark 2
Patsey 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Ch.Hy. 1

FAQ

Keefe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keefe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,285 people were recorded with the Keefe surname. That placed it at #3,178 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keefe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,421 in 2016. That gives Keefe a modern rank of #4,295.

What does the Keefe surname mean?

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Caoimh, meaning "descendant of Caomh," a personal name derived from caomh, meaning "gentle, kind."

What does the Keefe map show?

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