NameCensus.

UK surname

Keens

A variation of the surname Keen, derived from an Old English word meaning sharp or keen-witted.

In the 1881 census there were 211 people recorded with the Keens surname, ranking it #12,407 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 390, ranked #12,089, up from #12,407 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Barking and Haynes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hart, Central Bedfordshire and Bedford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keens is 420 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 84.8%.

1881 census count

211

Ranked #12,407

Modern count

390

2016, ranked #12,089

Peak year

2000

420 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keens had 211 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,407 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 390 in 2016, ranked #12,089.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 389 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Keens surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keens surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keens 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 175 #11,542
1861 historical 217 #11,220
1881 historical 211 #12,407
1891 historical 350 #9,836
1901 historical 308 #11,446
1911 historical 389 #9,470
1997 modern 388 #11,255
1998 modern 399 #11,354
1999 modern 417 #11,091
2000 modern 420 #10,998
2001 modern 409 #11,032
2002 modern 407 #11,294
2003 modern 397 #11,316
2004 modern 399 #11,297
2005 modern 388 #11,437
2006 modern 387 #11,514
2007 modern 388 #11,630
2008 modern 402 #11,419
2009 modern 406 #11,586
2010 modern 420 #11,536
2011 modern 416 #11,492
2012 modern 402 #11,683
2013 modern 397 #11,988
2014 modern 392 #12,192
2015 modern 387 #12,218
2016 modern 390 #12,089

Geography

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Where Keens' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Barking, Haynes and Luton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hart, Central Bedfordshire, Bedford, Havant and Luton. 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 1
2 Barking Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Haynes Bedfordshire
5 Luton Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hart 011 Hart
2 Central Bedfordshire 008 Central Bedfordshire
3 Bedford 017 Bedford
4 Havant 009 Havant
5 Luton 012 Luton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keens

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keens

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Keens 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

Keens 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

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

Meaning and origin of Keens

The surname "Keens" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "cene," meaning "brave" or "bold." It was initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone who exhibited such qualities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Keens" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented a landowner named Radulfus Kene in Oxfordshire. The spelling variants "Kene" and "Keen" were also common during this time.

In the 13th century, records show the name "Keens" appearing in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Suffolk. Some notable individuals bearing this surname include John Keens, a merchant from London mentioned in historical records from the late 15th century, and William Keens, a prominent landowner in Somerset during the 16th century.

The name "Keens" is also associated with certain place names, such as Keens Green in Buckinghamshire and Keens Farm in Oxfordshire. These locations likely derived their names from early inhabitants or landowners with the surname Keens.

Among the famous individuals with the surname "Keens" throughout history are:

1. Sir Benjamin Keene (1697-1757), a British diplomat and ambassador to Spain during the 18th century. 2. Henry Keens (1726-1776), an English engraver and illustrator known for his work on botanical illustrations. 3. Elizabeth Keens (1780-1860), a British author and poet who wrote extensively on religious themes. 4. John Keens (1811-1887), an English architect and surveyor responsible for designing several notable buildings in London. 5. William Keens (1852-1932), an American entrepreneur and businessman who founded the Keens Steakhouse in New York City, which has been in operation since 1885.

The surname "Keens" continues to be found in various parts of the English-speaking world, reflecting its enduring legacy and historical roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keens families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keens 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 61 Keens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.96x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 61 2.96x
Bedfordshire 44 41.29x
Essex 27 6.65x
Surrey 21 2.09x
Kent 19 2.71x
Hampshire 15 3.56x
Yorkshire 8 0.39x
Warwickshire 5 0.96x
Berkshire 3 1.94x
Hertfordshire 3 2.11x
Northamptonshire 2 1.03x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Norfolk 1 0.32x
Suffolk 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromley London in Middlesex leads with 16 Keens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.34x.

Place Total Index
Bromley London 16 35.34x
Luton 11 59.62x
Blunham 10 1388.89x
Hawnes 10 1515.15x
Walthamstow 10 68.40x
Hackney London 9 7.80x
Islington London 9 4.51x
West Ham 9 10.03x
Enfield 8 59.26x
Lambeth 8 4.46x
Bradford 6 12.15x
Croydon 6 10.78x
Greenwich 6 18.32x
Havant 6 280.37x
Maplederwell 6 4000.00x
Waltham Holy Cross 6 157.89x
Caddington 5 320.51x
Coventry Holy Trinity 5 32.26x
Edmonton 5 30.16x
Lewisham 5 13.35x
Bow London 4 15.27x
Milton In Gravesend 4 37.99x
Chelsea London 3 4.84x
Mortlake 3 67.11x
Newbury 3 60.61x
Aspley Guise 2 196.08x
Cheshunt 2 40.32x
Dunstable 2 61.16x
Peterborough 2 14.27x
Shoreditch London 2 2.24x
Woolwich 2 7.71x
Aighton Bailey 1 84.75x
Alton 1 31.45x
Basingstoke 1 20.62x
Biddenham 1 454.55x
Clapham 1 3.89x
Egham 1 16.23x
Eversholt 1 185.19x
Flitwick 1 172.41x
Hammersmith London 1 1.97x
Hampstead London 1 3.12x
Hayes 1 47.62x
Holy Trinity 1 2.04x
Husborne Crawley 1 294.12x
Kelvedon 1 92.59x
Leyton Low 1 12.11x
Maidstone 1 4.78x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.28x
Richmond 1 7.12x
Rickmansworth 1 25.58x
Sheffield 1 1.54x
South Warnborough 1 454.55x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.76x
Stow Bardolph 1 106.38x
Sudbury St Gregory 1 49.75x
Wandsworth 1 5.05x
Wrotham 1 42.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 7
Eliza 6
Ellen 6
Sarah 6
Ann 5
Emma 5
Annie 4
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Emily 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Eleanor 2
Florence 2
Jane 2
Letitia 2
Rosanna 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Amey 1
Anna 1
Clara 1
Edwina 1
Elizth.A. 1
Emmeline 1
Enid 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Isabella 1
Kezia 1
Lizzie 1
Louesa 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Maryan 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Olive 1
Rosetta 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Keens surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keens surname in 1881?

In 1881, 211 people were recorded with the Keens surname. That placed it at #12,407 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keens surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 390 in 2016. That gives Keens a modern rank of #12,089.

What does the Keens surname mean?

A variation of the surname Keen, derived from an Old English word meaning sharp or keen-witted.

What does the Keens map show?

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