NameCensus.

UK surname

Keeping

An English surname possibly derived from the Old English word "ceping" meaning bargain or trade.

In the 1881 census there were 580 people recorded with the Keeping surname, ranking it #6,010 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 604, ranked #8,674, down from #6,010 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Southampton St Mary and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Poole, New Forest and Portsmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keeping is 815 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.1%.

1881 census count

580

Ranked #6,010

Modern count

604

2016, ranked #8,674

Peak year

1911

815 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keeping had 580 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,010 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 604 in 2016, ranked #8,674.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 815 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Keeping surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keeping surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keeping 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 389 #6,177
1861 historical 340 #7,497
1881 historical 580 #6,010
1891 historical 666 #5,844
1901 historical 744 #5,980
1911 historical 815 #5,400
1997 modern 682 #7,394
1998 modern 693 #7,538
1999 modern 694 #7,567
2000 modern 691 #7,557
2001 modern 667 #7,644
2002 modern 664 #7,819
2003 modern 644 #7,877
2004 modern 671 #7,665
2005 modern 653 #7,741
2006 modern 654 #7,766
2007 modern 646 #7,901
2008 modern 648 #7,930
2009 modern 660 #7,978
2010 modern 653 #8,212
2011 modern 632 #8,346
2012 modern 615 #8,441
2013 modern 638 #8,329
2014 modern 628 #8,489
2015 modern 625 #8,449
2016 modern 604 #8,674

Geography

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Where Keepings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Southampton St Mary, Lambeth, Portsmouth, Portsea and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Poole, New Forest, Portsmouth and Bromley. 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 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Poole 007 Poole
2 New Forest 017 New Forest
3 New Forest 023 New Forest
4 Portsmouth 023 Portsmouth
5 Bromley 011 Bromley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keeping

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keeping

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Keeping 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

Keeping is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Keeping falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Keeping is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Keeping

The surname Keeping is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is believed to be an occupational name derived from the Old English word "ceping," meaning "market" or "trade." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have been involved in commerce or market activities.

One of the earliest known records of the Keeping name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Kepping." This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that period, as they were often based on local dialects and pronunciation.

In the 14th century, the name surfaced in various medieval records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, where it was spelled "Kepyng." This entry provides insights into the geographical distribution of the name during that era.

The Keeping name has also been linked to certain place names, such as Keeping in Hertfordshire and Keeping Street in Suffolk. These locations may have influenced the adoption of the surname or vice versa, as people often took on surnames derived from the places where they lived or worked.

Notable individuals bearing the Keeping surname include:

1. John Keeping (c. 1630-1686), an English scholar and clergyman who served as the Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge.

2. Walter Keeping (1854-1927), a British illustrator and writer known for his illustrations in children's books, including works by Rudyard Kipling and Robert Louis Stevenson.

3. Henry Keeping (1622-1688), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury during the reign of Charles II.

4. Thomas Keeping (1770-1842), a British naval officer and explorer who participated in several voyages to the Arctic regions and made significant contributions to the mapping of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

5. Margaret Keeping (1924-2013), a Canadian children's book author and illustrator, best known for her works depicting the life and culture of the First Nations people of Canada.

While the Keeping surname has its origins in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, carried by the descendants of English immigrants and settlers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keeping families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keeping 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. Hampshire leads with 157 Keepings recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.77x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 157 12.77x
Surrey 117 4.00x
Dorset 74 18.80x
Middlesex 61 1.02x
Channel Islands 34 19.13x
Sussex 34 3.36x
Kent 28 1.37x
Somerset 22 2.28x
Berkshire 19 4.22x
Gloucestershire 14 1.19x
Glamorgan 11 1.05x
Devon 8 0.64x
Cambridgeshire 7 1.84x
Wiltshire 5 0.94x
Cheshire 3 0.23x
Lancashire 3 0.04x
Lincolnshire 3 0.31x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.36x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.55x
Oxfordshire 2 0.54x
Worcestershire 2 0.26x
Yorkshire 2 0.03x
Flintshire 1 0.62x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.84x
Roxburghshire 1 0.92x
Royal Navy 1 1.40x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 47 Keepings recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.99x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 47 8.99x
St Helier 26 44.93x
Battersea 21 9.51x
Boldre 21 477.27x
Christchurch 20 75.02x
Eastbourne 14 30.08x
Beaulieu 13 680.63x
Brighton 13 6.37x
Camberwell 13 3.39x
Deptford St Paul 12 7.60x
Lyncombe Widcombe 12 47.47x
Wimborne 11 231.09x
Sway 10 609.76x
Longfleet 9 197.37x
Lymington 9 99.56x
Pimperne 9 1022.73x
Southampton St Mary 9 11.64x
Bexley 8 44.20x
Brading 8 48.96x
Croydon 8 4.93x
Portsea 8 3.32x
Reading St Giles 8 18.11x
Reading St Mary 8 22.18x
Wyke Regis 8 141.59x
Andover 7 60.24x
Llanwonno 7 18.65x
Milford 7 194.99x
St Edward Cambridge 7 578.51x
St Marylebone London 7 2.19x
St Mildred Poultry London 7 10000.00x
St Pancras London 7 1.45x
Broadwater 6 25.86x
Bromley London 6 4.55x
Frome 6 25.97x
Hammersmith London 6 4.06x
Holdenhurst 6 18.60x
Hordle 6 280.37x
Kingston On Thames 6 8.54x
Paddington London 6 2.72x
St Lawrence 6 123.71x
Streatham 6 13.48x
Sutton 6 28.37x
Woodlands 6 645.16x
Breamore 5 431.03x
Exeter St Edmund 5 185.87x
Fordington 5 58.96x
Gussage All Sts 5 581.40x
Ringwood 5 63.53x
St George Hanover Square 5 4.73x
St Helens 5 55.93x
Dorchester St Peter 4 140.35x
Llandaff 4 11.51x
Melcombe Regis 4 24.51x
Poplar London 4 3.53x
Southwark Christchurch 4 14.23x
Westminster St Margaret 4 13.82x
Bristol St James In 3 17.34x
Exeter St Sidwell 3 10.49x
Gainsborough 3 13.27x
Hinton Martel 3 384.62x
Liverpool 3 0.69x
South Hamlet 3 41.21x
South Stoneham 3 11.25x
Westbury 3 24.23x
Wimborne Minster 3 47.10x
Worth 3 322.58x
Bridport 2 24.66x
Bristol St George 2 3.68x
Clifton 2 3.36x
Grouville 2 40.40x
Kensington London 2 0.60x
Lyndhurst 2 59.35x
Odd Rode 2 30.49x
Rochester St Nicholas 2 31.40x
Southampton All Sts 2 9.48x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 1.66x
St Mary Extra 2 20.20x
Tonbridge 2 2.71x
Worcester St Martin 2 18.92x
Yate 2 77.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 32
John 31
George 29
Charles 23
James 22
Thomas 16
Alfred 14
Joseph 12
Henry 9
Arthur 8
Walter 8
Frederick 7
Harry 7
Richard 7
Albert 5
Herbert 5
Robert 5
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Edward 3
Francis 3
Horace 3
Samuel 3
Stephen 3
Cecil 2
Edmund 2
Fredk 2
Josias 2
Lewis 2
Charlie 1
Edwd. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Henery 1
Isaac 1
Jas.George 1
Jessie 1
Lancelott 1
Michael 1
Morris 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
Sydney 1
Thos 1
Tom 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Keeping surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keeping surname in 1881?

In 1881, 580 people were recorded with the Keeping surname. That placed it at #6,010 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keeping surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 604 in 2016. That gives Keeping a modern rank of #8,674.

What does the Keeping surname mean?

An English surname possibly derived from the Old English word "ceping" meaning bargain or trade.

What does the Keeping map show?

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