NameCensus.

UK surname

Keery

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Ciaráin, meaning "descendant of Ciarán."

In the 1881 census there were 27 people recorded with the Keery surname, ranking it #29,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 112, ranked #28,844, up from #29,793 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Warrington, Derby and Cowal North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keery is 122 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 314.8%.

1881 census count

27

Ranked #29,793

Modern count

112

2016, ranked #28,844

Peak year

1998

122 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keery had 27 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,793 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016, ranked #28,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 44 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Keery surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keery surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keery 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 25 #30,804
1881 historical 27 #29,793
1891 historical 35 #31,540
1901 historical 28 #30,951
1911 historical 44 #28,454
1997 modern 119 #24,302
1998 modern 122 #24,556
1999 modern 106 #26,885
2000 modern 112 #25,978
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 104 #27,101
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 106 #27,044
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 109 #27,253
2008 modern 115 #26,635
2009 modern 112 #27,685
2010 modern 118 #27,404
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 116 #28,253
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 112 #28,844

Geography

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Where Keerys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Warrington, Derby, Cowal North, Bradford and Brighton and Hove. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Warrington 002 Warrington
2 Derby 030 Derby
3 Cowal North Argyll and Bute
4 Bradford 022 Bradford
5 Brighton and Hove 024 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keery

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keery

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Keery, 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 Keery surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Keery 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Keery is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Keery is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Keery 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 Keery 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Keery

The surname Keery is believed to have originated in Ireland, with its earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "caoraigh," which means "sheep," suggesting that the ancestors of those bearing this surname may have been involved in sheep farming or related occupations.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name Keery can be found in the Ulster Plantation records of the early 17th century, where it is listed as a variant spelling of the more common Irish surname "Carey" or "Keary." This connection to the Carey/Keary surname further reinforces the name's Irish origins.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Keery surname was concentrated primarily in the counties of Antrim, Down, and Armagh in Northern Ireland. Some notable bearers of the name during this period include John Keery (c. 1640-1720), a prominent landowner and member of the Irish Parliament from County Antrim.

As the centuries progressed, the Keery surname began to spread beyond Northern Ireland. One notable figure was James Keery (1826-1904), a Scottish-born businessman who made his fortune in the textile industry in Manchester, England. He later became a philanthropist and donated significant funds to educational and charitable causes.

Another notable bearer of the Keery surname was William Keery (1857-1929), an Irish-born engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of the Panama Canal. He was responsible for overseeing the excavation and construction of the Culebra Cut, one of the most challenging and significant sections of the canal.

In the 20th century, the Keery surname gained further recognition with individuals like Sir Michael Keery (1903-1983), a British diplomat and ambassador to several countries, including Iran and France. He was also a respected scholar and author, publishing works on international relations and diplomacy.

While the Keery surname may not be as widespread as some other Irish surnames, it has a rich history and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, from politics and business to engineering and diplomacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keery families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keery 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 16 Keerys recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.79x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 16 18.79x
Middlesex 6 2.28x
Yorkshire 4 1.53x
Essex 1 1.92x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 6 Keerys recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.50x.

Place Total Index
Govan 6 28.50x
Barony 5 23.21x
Edmonton 5 235.85x
Rutherglen 5 400.00x
Doncaster 4 209.42x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 185.19x
West Ham 1 8.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agnes 2
Elizabeth 1
Jane 1
Lilly 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Abraham 1
Charles 1
Dennis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Keery households.

FAQ

Keery surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keery surname in 1881?

In 1881, 27 people were recorded with the Keery surname. That placed it at #29,793 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keery surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016. That gives Keery a modern rank of #28,844.

What does the Keery surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Ciaráin, meaning "descendant of Ciarán."

What does the Keery map show?

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