NameCensus.

UK surname

Keeley

Derived from the Gaelic "O'Cadhla," meaning "descendant of Cadhla," a personal name meaning "graceful" or "beautiful."

In the 1881 census there were 1,222 people recorded with the Keeley surname, ranking it #3,311 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,693, ranked #2,492, up from #3,311 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Bolton-le-Moors. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ13, South Norfolk and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keeley is 2,836 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 120.4%.

1881 census count

1,222

Ranked #3,311

Modern count

2,693

2016, ranked #2,492

Peak year

2002

2,836 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keeley had 1,222 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,311 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,693 in 2016, ranked #2,492.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,095 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Keeley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keeley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keeley 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 682 #3,812
1861 historical 602 #4,399
1881 historical 1,222 #3,311
1891 historical 1,397 #3,116
1901 historical 1,794 #2,920
1911 historical 2,095 #2,391
1997 modern 2,707 #2,362
1998 modern 2,798 #2,378
1999 modern 2,834 #2,373
2000 modern 2,825 #2,365
2001 modern 2,753 #2,375
2002 modern 2,836 #2,364
2003 modern 2,754 #2,375
2004 modern 2,694 #2,414
2005 modern 2,654 #2,424
2006 modern 2,648 #2,433
2007 modern 2,665 #2,432
2008 modern 2,684 #2,433
2009 modern 2,783 #2,421
2010 modern 2,807 #2,443
2011 modern 2,772 #2,442
2012 modern 2,710 #2,450
2013 modern 2,741 #2,467
2014 modern 2,700 #2,506
2015 modern 2,693 #2,496
2016 modern 2,693 #2,492

Geography

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Where Keeleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Bolton-le-Moors and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ13, South Norfolk, Northumberland, Lincoln and Rother. 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 Manchester Lancashire
3 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ13 West Dunbartonshire
2 South Norfolk 015 South Norfolk
3 Northumberland 020 Northumberland
4 Lincoln 004 Lincoln
5 Rother 006 Rother

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keeley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keeley

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Keeley is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Keeley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Keeley

The surname Keeley is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name O'Caollaidhe, meaning "descendant of the lean or slender one." The name is believed to have originated in County Galway, Ireland, during the medieval period.

The earliest known record of the name Keeley can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. It mentions a family of O'Caollaidhe residing in County Galway in the 13th century.

As the name spread throughout Ireland, it underwent various spelling variations, including Keely, Keeley, Kealey, and Keighley. Some of these spellings were influenced by the anglicization of Irish names during the English conquest of Ireland.

One notable individual bearing the surname Keeley was James Keeley (1846-1920), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Kansas. Another prominent figure was Patrick Keeley (1816-1890), an Irish-American architect who designed numerous churches and buildings in the United States, including the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in New York City.

In the literary world, there was John Keeley (1789-1849), an Irish poet and dramatist known for his contributions to the Gaelic revival movement. On the stage, Lillian Keeley (1842-1925) was a renowned American actress and singer who performed in various productions during the late 19th century.

The name Keeley has also been associated with several place names throughout Ireland, such as Keeley Harbour in County Galway and Keeley's Cross in County Laois. These place names likely originated from families or individuals bearing the surname Keeley who lived or owned land in those areas.

While the surname Keeley is not as common as some other Irish names, it has a rich history and heritage that can be traced back to medieval Ireland. The name has been carried by notable individuals in various fields, including politics, architecture, literature, and the performing arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keeley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keeley 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 293 Keeleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.08x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 293 2.08x
Middlesex 188 1.58x
Norfolk 104 5.70x
Berkshire 75 8.42x
Surrey 63 1.09x
Warwickshire 57 1.90x
Kent 41 1.01x
Sussex 38 1.90x
Yorkshire 36 0.31x
Oxfordshire 29 3.96x
Suffolk 27 1.87x
Gloucestershire 26 1.12x
Staffordshire 26 0.65x
Durham 24 0.68x
Worcestershire 22 1.42x
Buckinghamshire 19 2.65x
Devon 17 0.69x
Cheshire 15 0.57x
Derbyshire 15 0.81x
Hampshire 15 0.62x
Leicestershire 15 1.14x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.87x
Northumberland 13 0.74x
Essex 12 0.51x
Shropshire 12 1.17x
Lincolnshire 5 0.26x
Brecknockshire 4 1.68x
Dorset 4 0.51x
Glamorgan 3 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.13x
Hertfordshire 1 0.12x
Renfrewshire 1 0.11x
Somerset 1 0.05x
Sutherland 1 1.10x

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 53 Keeleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.19x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 53 6.19x
Manchester 34 5.37x
Birmingham 28 2.81x
Great Bolton 26 13.93x
Starston 24 1159.42x
Lambeth 22 2.13x
Everton 19 4.23x
Henley On Thames 19 126.50x
St Luke London 19 9.98x
Hammersmith London 17 5.81x
Eye 16 171.31x
Hawkhurst 16 127.09x
Wargrave 16 208.88x
Salford 15 3.62x
Wigan 15 7.62x
North Meols 14 10.15x
Birkenhead 13 6.22x
Hulme 13 4.42x
West Derby 13 3.15x
Leeds 12 1.81x
St Giles In Fields London 12 20.60x
Ardwick 11 8.66x
Aston 11 1.33x
Bray 11 42.02x
Farnworth 11 13.03x
Harborne 11 8.57x
Maidstone 11 9.12x
Topcroft 11 758.62x
Westminster St James 11 9.01x
Croydon 10 3.11x
Heaton Norris 10 12.47x
Redenhall 10 141.04x
Saham Toney 10 202.84x
St George Hanover Square 10 4.78x
Wavertree 10 22.18x
Diss 9 57.51x
Gorton 9 6.80x
Hurley 9 194.38x
Lewknor Up Hill 9 1125.00x
Mayfield 9 76.01x
Mile End Old Town London 9 3.56x
Norton 9 538.92x
St George In East London 9 8.06x
Whitechapel London 9 7.69x
Withyam 9 105.02x
Burwash 8 86.11x
Dawdon 8 18.42x
Houghton On Hill 8 4000.00x
Leicester St Margaret 8 2.49x
New Windsor 8 26.70x
Quinton 8 394.09x
St Marylebone London 8 1.26x
Tynemouth 8 8.46x
Wellingham 8 1481.48x
Bickleigh 7 289.26x
Evesham All Sts 7 96.82x
Islington London 7 0.61x
Leicester St Mary 7 6.58x
Little Bolton 7 3.86x
Newbottle 7 36.29x
Shoreditch London 7 1.36x
St Anne Soho London 7 10.33x
St Pancras London 7 0.73x
Standard Hill 7 183.73x
Toxteth Park 7 1.47x
Bermondsey 6 1.70x
Bourton On The Hill 6 322.58x
Brome 6 566.04x
Chipping Campden 6 79.16x
Churwell 6 74.81x
Darlington 6 4.40x
Kensington London 6 0.91x
Newport 6 48.47x
Old Stratford 6 35.40x
Pulham St Mary Virgin 6 179.10x
Rotherfield Greys 6 77.32x
Shrewsbury St Mary 6 14.83x
Wycombe 6 11.22x
Egham 5 14.08x
Holy Trinity Less London 5 166.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 89
Elizabeth 35
Sarah 33
Ann 26
Ellen 23
Emma 20
Eliza 19
Annie 17
Emily 17
Margaret 17
Catherine 16
Jane 15
Bridget 12
Alice 11
Hannah 11
Louisa 11
Rose 10
Agnes 9
Anne 8
Edith 8
Harriet 8
Kate 8
Caroline 7
Fanny 7
Martha 7
Julia 6
Maria 6
Susan 6
Ada 5
Charlotte 5
Clara 5
Esther 5
Florence 5
Sophia 5
Amelia 4
Harriett 4
Susannah 4
Amy 3
Bertha 3
Gertrude 3
Helen 3
Laura 3
Margret 3
Rosa 3
Ethel 2
Frances 2
Lousia 2
Lucy 2
Matilda 2
May 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 76
John 71
George 51
James 48
Thomas 39
Henry 26
Joseph 23
Charles 18
Edward 18
Samuel 18
Daniel 13
Alfred 12
Arthur 11
Michael 11
Patrick 9
Richard 8
Robert 8
Harry 7
Albert 6
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Frederick 6
Walter 6
Francis 5
Herbert 5
Dennis 4
Philip 4
Bernard 3
Ernest 3
Christopher 2
David 2
Fredrick 2
Lawrence 2
Martin 2
Matthew 2
Peter 2
Phillip 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Basil 1
Benjamin 1
Charley 1
Charlie 1
Edgar 1
Edwd. 1
Edwd.Geo. 1
Ezekial 1
Jacob 1
Jerem. 1
Jno.Wm. 1

FAQ

Keeley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keeley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,222 people were recorded with the Keeley surname. That placed it at #3,311 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keeley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,693 in 2016. That gives Keeley a modern rank of #2,492.

What does the Keeley surname mean?

Derived from the Gaelic "O'Cadhla," meaning "descendant of Cadhla," a personal name meaning "graceful" or "beautiful."

What does the Keeley map show?

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