NameCensus.

UK surname

Keil

Derived from the German word "keil," meaning wedge or bolt, likely referring to an ancestor's occupation or characteristic.

In the 1881 census there were 136 people recorded with the Keil surname, ranking it #16,433 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 350, ranked #13,152, up from #16,433 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, Endford, Netheravon and Knockando. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Inverness West Rural, Herefordshire and Huntingdonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keil is 350 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 157.4%.

1881 census count

136

Ranked #16,433

Modern count

350

2016, ranked #13,152

Peak year

2016

350 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keil had 136 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,433 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 350 in 2016, ranked #13,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 201 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Keil surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keil surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keil 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 84 #19,067
1861 historical 66 #25,487
1881 historical 136 #16,433
1891 historical 122 #21,053
1901 historical 201 #15,059
1911 historical 153 #17,633
1997 modern 320 #12,966
1998 modern 320 #13,299
1999 modern 335 #12,993
2000 modern 325 #13,221
2001 modern 314 #13,318
2002 modern 323 #13,325
2003 modern 314 #13,419
2004 modern 316 #13,425
2005 modern 313 #13,433
2006 modern 305 #13,766
2007 modern 314 #13,618
2008 modern 320 #13,550
2009 modern 333 #13,434
2010 modern 330 #13,786
2011 modern 328 #13,730
2012 modern 338 #13,304
2013 modern 342 #13,399
2014 modern 343 #13,463
2015 modern 348 #13,221
2016 modern 350 #13,152

Geography

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Where Keils are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, Endford, Netheravon, Knockando, Glasgow and Mortlach. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Inverness West Rural, Herefordshire, Huntingdonshire, Westminster and Breckland. 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 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 Endford, Netheravon Wiltshire
3 Knockando Elgin
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Mortlach Banff

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Inverness West Rural Highland
2 Herefordshire 020 Herefordshire, County of
3 Huntingdonshire 001 Huntingdonshire
4 Westminster 016 Westminster
5 Breckland 005 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keil

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keil

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Keil 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

Keil 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

Keil falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Keil

The surname Keil is of German origin, derived from the German word "Keil," which means "wedge" or "chisel." This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who worked as a woodworker, carpenter, or mason, using wedges or chisels as part of their trade.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Keil can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around the Rhine River and in Saxony. The name is mentioned in several historical records from this period, including medieval tax rolls and guild records.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Keil was Johannes Keil, a stonemason who lived in the town of Erfurt, Thuringia, in the late 13th century. Records show that he was involved in the construction of the famous Erfurt Cathedral, which began in 1277.

In the 15th century, the surname Keil appeared in the town of Nürnberg (Nuremberg), where a family of artisans and craftsmen bearing this name became prominent. Hanns Keil, a notable woodcarver and sculptor, was born in Nürnberg around 1460 and created several intricate works of art for local churches and nobility.

Another notable figure with the surname Keil was Johann Keil, a German astronomer and mathematician born in Gundelsheim, Württemberg, in 1571. He made significant contributions to the study of comets and published several influential works on celestial mechanics.

During the 17th century, the Keil surname spread to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and Scandinavia, as a result of migration and trade. One notable Dutch bearer of this name was Jacobus Keil, a wealthy merchant and ship owner from Amsterdam, who lived from 1635 to 1701.

In the 19th century, the surname Keil became more widespread in the United States due to German immigration. One prominent American with this name was Charles Keil, a Union Army officer during the American Civil War, who was born in Germany in 1826 and later settled in Pennsylvania.

Throughout its history, the surname Keil has been associated with various professions, including woodworking, masonry, astronomy, and military service, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keil families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keil 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 51 Keils recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.84x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 51 3.84x
Morayshire 14 67.93x
Yorkshire 13 0.99x
Banffshire 10 36.34x
Hampshire 8 2.94x
Aberdeenshire 6 4.88x
Fife 5 6.37x
Midlothian 5 2.81x
Renfrewshire 5 4.86x
Dorset 4 4.59x
Lanarkshire 4 0.93x
Perthshire 4 6.72x
Monmouthshire 3 3.13x
Wiltshire 2 1.70x
Angus 1 0.81x
Surrey 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 21 Keils recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.44x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 21 36.44x
St George In East London 15 120.19x
Heeley 9 225.56x
Mortlach 9 671.64x
Rothes 7 693.07x
St Pancras London 7 6.56x
Collessie 5 555.56x
East Greenock 5 51.49x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 6.99x
Parkstone 4 392.16x
Portsea 4 7.51x
Forres 3 138.25x
Kings Somborne 3 526.32x
Kingstonupon Hull 3 285.71x
Llanfoist 3 454.55x
Barony 2 1.84x
Cargill 2 322.58x
Govan 2 1.88x
Hampstead London 2 9.68x
Huntly 2 100.00x
Kinnoull 2 127.39x
Paddington London 2 4.10x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 4.35x
Dallas 1 238.10x
Drumblade 1 232.56x
Dundee 1 2.18x
Elgin 1 24.94x
Fisherton Anger 1 46.08x
Forgue 1 90.91x
Holdenhurst 1 14.03x
Kirkmichael 1 204.08x
Lambeth 1 0.86x
Leeds 1 1.35x
Mile End Old Town London 1 3.54x
New Spynie 1 135.14x
Poplar London 1 3.99x
Rhynie 1 196.08x
Salisbury St Thomas 1 107.53x
St Martin In Fields 1 12.59x
St Marylebone London 1 1.41x
Urquhart 1 103.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Catherine 4
Elizabeth 4
Emily 2
Julia 2
Adeline 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Augusta 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Elizh. 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Fredericka 1
Helena 1
Jane 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Magdalena 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Orphelia 1
Rosina 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 5
Adam 3
Charles 3
John 3
William 3
Henry 2
Johan 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Christain 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Ernst 1
James 1
Karl 1
Konrad 1
Louis 1
Rowland 1
Rudolph 1
Walter 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 Keil households.

FAQ

Keil surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keil surname in 1881?

In 1881, 136 people were recorded with the Keil surname. That placed it at #16,433 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keil surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 350 in 2016. That gives Keil a modern rank of #13,152.

What does the Keil surname mean?

Derived from the German word "keil," meaning wedge or bolt, likely referring to an ancestor's occupation or characteristic.

What does the Keil map show?

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