NameCensus.

UK surname

Keeney

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Caonaigh, meaning "descendant of Caonach," a personal name derived from caon, meaning "gentle, mild."

In the 1881 census there were 91 people recorded with the Keeney surname, ranking it #20,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 363, ranked #12,777, up from #20,843 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Warkworth, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Langholm and Eskdale, Arran and Hamilton Centre and Low Parks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keeney is 382 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 298.9%.

1881 census count

91

Ranked #20,843

Modern count

363

2016, ranked #12,777

Peak year

2010

382 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keeney had 91 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,843 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016, ranked #12,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 115 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Keeney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keeney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Keeney 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 39 #26,319
1861 historical 54 #27,127
1881 historical 91 #20,843
1891 historical 91 #25,239
1901 historical 114 #21,166
1911 historical 115 #20,951
1997 modern 338 #12,489
1998 modern 354 #12,438
1999 modern 351 #12,582
2000 modern 357 #12,380
2001 modern 356 #12,228
2002 modern 370 #12,121
2003 modern 365 #12,038
2004 modern 349 #12,473
2005 modern 341 #12,605
2006 modern 342 #12,652
2007 modern 352 #12,546
2008 modern 366 #12,285
2009 modern 371 #12,399
2010 modern 382 #12,410
2011 modern 363 #12,738
2012 modern 370 #12,417
2013 modern 368 #12,676
2014 modern 370 #12,712
2015 modern 363 #12,793
2016 modern 363 #12,777

Geography

Back to top

Where Keeneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Warkworth, Gateshead, Manchester, Glasgow and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Langholm and Eskdale, Arran, Hamilton Centre and Low Parks, Greenock East and Viewpark. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Warkworth Northumberland
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Langholm and Eskdale Dumfries and Galloway
2 Arran North Ayrshire
3 Hamilton Centre and Low Parks South Lanarkshire
4 Greenock East Inverclyde
5 Viewpark North Lanarkshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Keeney

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Keeney

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Keeney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Keeney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Keeney is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Keeney is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Keeney falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Keeney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Keeney

The surname Keeney originates from Ireland and is believed to have derived from the Irish Gaelic word "Ó Ciadhna" or "Ciadhnach," which means "descendant of Cian." The name Cian was a personal name derived from the old Irish word "cian," meaning "ancient" or "enduring." The prefix "O" or "Ó" in Irish surnames indicates "descendant of."

The Keeney name can be traced back to the 11th century in County Longford, Ireland. It is believed that the Keeneys were among the ancient clans that ruled over parts of the Irish province of Connacht. Early recordings of the name include "O'Ciadhna" and "O'Kiadhna" in various Irish annals and manuscripts.

One of the earliest known references to the Keeney name 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 "Donnell O'Kiadhna" who was slain in the year 1249 during a battle between Irish clans.

The Keeney name has also been associated with several historical figures, such as John Keeney, an Irish rebel who fought against the English during the Irish Rebellion of 1641. Another notable Keeney was Captain James Keeney, an Irish-born officer in the American Revolutionary War, who was born in 1747 and died in 1827.

Other notable individuals with the Keeney surname include Philip Keeney, an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist (1857-1938), and James Keeney, an American artist and painter (1889-1950). The name has also been linked to various place names in Ireland, such as Keenagh (derived from "Cian's place") in County Longford and Keenymore (derived from "Cian's great plain") in County Sligo.

Throughout history, the Keeney surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Keeney, Keeney, Keeny, Keaney, Keehan, and Keehen, among others. These variations can be attributed to the evolving pronunciation of the name over time, as well as the influence of different regional dialects in Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Keeney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keeney 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 30 Keeneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.88x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 30 2.88x
Northumberland 30 22.97x
Warwickshire 7 3.16x
Durham 5 1.91x
Lanarkshire 5 1.76x
Renfrewshire 5 7.35x
Midlothian 3 2.55x
Yorkshire 2 0.23x
Cheshire 1 0.52x
Middlesex 1 0.11x
West Lothian 1 7.56x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedlington in Northumberland leads with 15 Keeneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 344.04x.

Place Total Index
Bedlington 15 344.04x
Blackburn 13 46.90x
Aston 7 11.48x
Allendale 5 413.22x
Felton 5 2500.00x
Paisley High Church 5 92.25x
Parr 5 134.05x
Eccleston In Prescot 4 76.48x
Preston 3 10.76x
South Leith 3 22.68x
Bothwell 2 25.97x
Elswick 2 19.19x
Gateshead 2 10.23x
Glasgow 2 3.97x
Monkwearmouth Shore 2 39.22x
Warkworth 2 952.38x
Cowpen Bewley 1 333.33x
Dalziel 1 32.79x
Hauxley 1 344.83x
Linlithgow 1 58.82x
Manchester 1 2.13x
Middlesbrough 1 8.83x
Monks Coppenhall 1 13.68x
Rusholme 1 35.97x
Spotland 1 8.64x
Sutton 1 28.65x
West Derby 1 3.28x
Westminster St Margaret 1 23.64x
York St Saviour 1 120.48x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Keeney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keeney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 91 people were recorded with the Keeney surname. That placed it at #20,843 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keeney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016. That gives Keeney a modern rank of #12,777.

What does the Keeney surname mean?

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Caonaigh, meaning "descendant of Caonach," a personal name derived from caon, meaning "gentle, mild."

What does the Keeney map show?

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