NameCensus.

UK surname

Keeys

A surname derived from the Old English word "cæg," meaning a key or lock.

In the 1881 census there were 41 people recorded with the Keeys surname, ranking it #27,870 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 93, ranked #31,945, down from #27,870 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wealden, Canterbury and Hartlepool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keeys is 105 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 126.8%.

1881 census count

41

Ranked #27,870

Modern count

93

2016, ranked #31,945

Peak year

1999

105 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Keeys had 41 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,870 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 93 in 2016, ranked #31,945.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 92 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Keeys surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keeys surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keeys 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 46 #24,985
1861 historical 25 #30,804
1881 historical 41 #27,870
1891 historical 48 #30,447
1901 historical 92 #23,800
1911 historical 87 #24,147
1997 modern 98 #27,179
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 105 #27,035
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 101 #27,252
2002 modern 101 #27,766
2003 modern 91 #29,121
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 87 #30,292
2007 modern 86 #30,808
2008 modern 83 #31,483
2009 modern 91 #30,944
2010 modern 90 #31,621
2011 modern 95 #30,877
2012 modern 85 #32,395
2013 modern 92 #31,909
2014 modern 96 #31,667
2015 modern 95 #31,749
2016 modern 93 #31,945

Geography

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Where Keeys' 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 Wealden, Canterbury, Hartlepool and Brentwood. 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 Wealden 007 Wealden
2 Canterbury 007 Canterbury
3 Hartlepool 009 Hartlepool
4 Wealden 009 Wealden
5 Brentwood 005 Brentwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keeys

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keeys

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Keeys surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Keeys household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Keeys is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Keeys is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Keeys falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Keeys

The surname "KEEYS" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from an old English word or place name. One theory suggests that it may have evolved from the Old English word "caeg," which means "key," potentially indicating an ancestral connection to a locksmith or a keeper of keys.

Another possibility is that the name is rooted in a place name, such as a town or village where the family originated. In some instances, surnames were derived from the names of residences or locations associated with the family's ancestral roots. However, there is no definitive record of a specific place called "Keeys" in historical records.

The earliest known reference to the surname "KEEYS" dates back to the late 13th century, with a record of a John de Keyes in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297. This suggests that the name may have originated in or around the Yorkshire region of northern England.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, where a Richard Keyes was listed as a landowner in 1349. This indicates that the family had established roots and held property in the Cambridgeshire area by that time.

One notable figure bearing the surname "KEEYS" was Sir John Keyes, a military commander who served under King Henry VIII during the 16th century. He played a significant role in the English Reformation and was knighted by the King in 1544 for his loyal service.

Another prominent individual was Robert Keyes, an English clergyman and academic who lived from 1693 to 1757. He was appointed as the Bishop of Peterborough in 1748 and made notable contributions to the Church of England during his tenure.

In the 18th century, a man named Thomas Keyes (1725-1804) gained recognition as a successful merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol. He was involved in various business ventures and was known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting local charities.

The 19th century saw the birth of Mary Keyes (1819-1899), a renowned author and social reformer from Philadelphia, United States. She wrote extensively on women's rights and advocated for educational opportunities for women during her lifetime.

Lastly, a notable figure from the 20th century was Admiral Sir Roger Keyes (1872-1945), a British naval officer who played a crucial role in the First World War. He was involved in the planning and execution of the Gallipoli Campaign and later served as the Commander-in-Chief of the British Naval Forces during the final years of the war.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keeys families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keeys 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. Kent leads with 14 Keeys' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.26x.

County Total Index
Kent 14 10.26x
Durham 7 5.88x
Middlesex 7 1.75x
Sussex 5 7.42x
Surrey 3 1.54x
Wigtownshire 2 37.66x
Derbyshire 1 1.60x
Hertfordshire 1 3.63x
Lancashire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Erith in Kent leads with 7 Keeys' recorded in 1881 and an index of 522.39x.

Place Total Index
Erith 7 522.39x
Throston 7 3043.48x
East Grinstead 5 526.32x
Camberwell 3 11.74x
Limehouse London 3 68.34x
Greenwich 2 31.40x
Leswalt 2 555.56x
Sevenoaks 2 180.18x
St George Hanover Square 2 28.37x
Tonbridge 2 40.65x
Crayford 1 166.67x
Derby St Werburgh 1 27.62x
East Barnet 1 181.82x
Islington London 1 2.58x
Manchester 1 4.69x
Shoreditch London 1 5.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Jane 4
Matilda 2
Adelena 1
Alice 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Kate 1
Martha 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 2
Chas. 1
Edgar 1
Fred. 1
George 1
Henry 1
James 1
John 1
Joseph 1
Richard 1
Richd 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Wm. 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 Keeys households.

FAQ

Keeys surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keeys surname in 1881?

In 1881, 41 people were recorded with the Keeys surname. That placed it at #27,870 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keeys surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 93 in 2016. That gives Keeys a modern rank of #31,945.

What does the Keeys surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "cæg," meaning a key or lock.

What does the Keeys map show?

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