NameCensus.

UK surname

Keer

A surname derived from the Dutch word for church.

In the 1881 census there were 206 people recorded with the Keer surname, ranking it #12,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 207, ranked #19,118, down from #12,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, London parishes and Wickham Market. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ipswich, Suffolk Coastal and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keer is 398 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.5%.

1881 census count

206

Ranked #12,596

Modern count

207

2016, ranked #19,118

Peak year

1861

398 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keer had 206 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 207 in 2016, ranked #19,118.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 398 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Keer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keer 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 322 #7,215
1861 historical 398 #6,441
1881 historical 206 #12,596
1891 historical 352 #9,781
1901 historical 391 #9,638
1911 historical 312 #11,130
1997 modern 234 #15,939
1998 modern 243 #15,993
1999 modern 230 #16,685
2000 modern 226 #16,840
2001 modern 227 #16,573
2002 modern 229 #16,771
2003 modern 224 #16,859
2004 modern 232 #16,539
2005 modern 239 #16,144
2006 modern 225 #16,941
2007 modern 218 #17,477
2008 modern 217 #17,693
2009 modern 222 #17,797
2010 modern 236 #17,427
2011 modern 219 #18,145
2012 modern 202 #19,084
2013 modern 202 #19,389
2014 modern 206 #19,318
2015 modern 202 #19,433
2016 modern 207 #19,118

Geography

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Where Keers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, London parishes, Wickham Market and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ipswich, Suffolk Coastal, Cornwall and Barnsley. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wickham Market Suffolk
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ipswich 003 Ipswich
2 Suffolk Coastal 007 Suffolk Coastal
3 Cornwall 003 Cornwall
4 Suffolk Coastal 012 Suffolk Coastal
5 Barnsley 005 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keer

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

Keer is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Keer falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Keer 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 Keer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Keer

The surname KEER is believed to have originated in the Netherlands during the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Dutch word "keer," which means "turn" or "bend," and may have been used to describe someone who lived near a bend in a river or road.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KEER can be found in the Dutch archives of the city of Leiden, where a Pieter KEER was listed as a resident in 1587. The name also appears in the records of the Dutch East India Company, with a Jan KEER serving as a ship's captain in the early 17th century.

In the late 17th century, the KEER surname began to appear in various regions of Germany, suggesting that some Dutch families may have migrated eastward during this period. One notable German bearer of the name was Johann KEER, a scholar and theologian who lived in Nuremberg from 1678 to 1744.

As the KEER family spread across Europe, the spelling of the name sometimes varied, with variations such as KEHR, KEHR, and KIER appearing in some records. In the 18th century, a branch of the KEER family settled in England, where the name was sometimes anglicized to CARE or CAIR.

Among the notable individuals with the KEER surname throughout history are:

1. Dirk KEER (1591-1648), a Dutch painter known for his landscapes and seascapes. 2. Anna KEER (1722-1789), a German novelist and playwright who wrote under the pen name "Anna von Keer." 3. Willem KEER (1807-1880), a Dutch politician and diplomat who served as the Netherlands' ambassador to several countries. 4. Friedrich KEER (1858-1925), a German historian and author who wrote extensively about the Reformation. 5. Jacobus KEER (1892-1970), a Dutch mathematician and physicist known for his work in the field of thermodynamics.

While the KEER surname may not be as widespread as some others, it has a rich history dating back several centuries, with bearers of the name making contributions in various fields across Europe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keer 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. Lanarkshire leads with 43 Keers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.65x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 43 6.65x
Middlesex 38 1.90x
Suffolk 27 11.09x
Kent 23 3.37x
Surrey 16 1.64x
Dunbartonshire 15 27.91x
Essex 6 1.52x
Cheshire 5 1.13x
Berkshire 3 2.00x
Bedfordshire 2 1.93x
Durham 2 0.34x
Hampshire 2 0.49x
Northumberland 2 0.67x
Selkirkshire 2 11.06x
Stirlingshire 2 2.71x
Sussex 2 0.59x
Yorkshire 2 0.10x
Angus 1 0.54x
Argyllshire 1 1.80x
Ayrshire 1 0.67x
Cumberland 1 0.58x
Devon 1 0.24x
Gloucestershire 1 0.26x
Kincardineshire 1 4.11x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Midlothian 1 0.37x
Roxburghshire 1 2.76x
Royal Navy 1 4.20x
Warwickshire 1 0.20x
Wiltshire 1 0.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 21 Keers recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.83x.

Place Total Index
Barony 21 12.83x
New Monkland 16 83.68x
Islington London 13 6.71x
Cardross 9 139.53x
Wickham Market 9 891.09x
Bromley 7 67.31x
Lambeth 7 4.01x
Bethnal Green London 6 6.91x
Hammersmith London 6 12.18x
Kilmaronock 6 937.50x
Lewisham 6 16.49x
Macefin 5 2631.58x
Ratcliffe London 5 45.29x
St Peters 5 158.23x
Sudbourne 4 1000.00x
Camberwell 3 2.35x
Glasgow 3 2.61x
Milton In Gravesend 3 29.33x
Orford 3 379.75x
Paddington London 3 4.08x
Tooting Graveney 3 110.70x
Wallingford St Mary Le 3 352.94x
Yoxford 3 410.96x
Buchanan 2 526.32x
Colchester St James 2 125.00x
Govan 2 1.25x
Ipswich St Mathew 2 29.28x
Leeds 2 1.79x
Lowestoft 2 17.38x
Luton 2 11.16x
Melrose 2 43.96x
West Ham 2 2.29x
Aston 1 0.72x
Banchory Devenick 1 44.05x
Blaxhall 1 285.71x
Bothwell 1 5.70x
Bow London 1 3.93x
Brading 1 18.35x
Brighton 1 1.47x
Bromley London 1 2.27x
Chipping Ongar 1 147.06x
Clifton 1 5.04x
Cockerton 1 52.36x
Colchester St Mary At 1 71.43x
Coulsdon 1 56.50x
Earsdon 1 41.32x
Edinburgh St Johns 1 59.17x
Epsom 1 21.05x
Greenwich 1 3.14x
Ipswich St Helen 1 34.60x
Ipswich St Margaret 1 12.11x
Ipswich St Nicholas 1 74.63x
Jedburgh 1 28.17x
Kensington London 1 0.90x
Kilcalmonell 1 79.37x
Kilmarnock 1 5.61x
Littlehampton 1 37.17x
Montrose 1 8.90x
Murton 1 322.58x
Ryde 1 11.36x
Shebbear 1 161.29x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.84x
St Mary Within 1 46.51x
St Pancras London 1 0.62x
Streatham 1 6.74x
Strood 1 25.71x
Tudhoe 1 19.23x
West Derby 1 1.44x
Westbury 1 24.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 7
Louisa 5
Sarah 5
Caroline 3
Emma 3
Fanny 3
Jane 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Margaret 2
Mary 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Celia 1
Eleanor 1
Elizh. 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Joan 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Mabel 1
Margeret 1
Maryann 1
Miriam 1
Nellie 1
Rebecca 1
Victoria 1
Wortley 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
John 9
George 6
Charles 3
Frederick 3
Samuel 3
Davie 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
James 2
Manning 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Burwood 1
Daniel 1
Frank 1
Fredk.Charles 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Henry 1
Mark 1
Peter 1
Purcy 1
Reginald 1
Robert 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Keer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 206 people were recorded with the Keer surname. That placed it at #12,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 207 in 2016. That gives Keer a modern rank of #19,118.

What does the Keer surname mean?

A surname derived from the Dutch word for church.

What does the Keer map show?

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