NameCensus.

UK surname

Keiller

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic word "cailleir" meaning "shooter" or "archer".

In the 1881 census there were 206 people recorded with the Keiller surname, ranking it #12,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 377, ranked #12,415, up from #12,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Erith, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leven East, Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee and Auchtermuchty and Gateside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keiller is 377 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.0%.

1881 census count

206

Ranked #12,596

Modern count

377

2016, ranked #12,415

Peak year

2016

377 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keiller had 206 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 377 in 2016, ranked #12,415.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 262 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Keiller surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keiller surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keiller 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 90 #18,317
1861 historical 107 #20,008
1881 historical 206 #12,596
1891 historical 224 #13,760
1901 historical 262 #12,740
1911 historical 106 #21,948
1997 modern 335 #12,575
1998 modern 348 #12,585
1999 modern 349 #12,638
2000 modern 359 #12,333
2001 modern 355 #12,253
2002 modern 372 #12,077
2003 modern 356 #12,258
2004 modern 352 #12,399
2005 modern 355 #12,243
2006 modern 340 #12,722
2007 modern 347 #12,661
2008 modern 359 #12,459
2009 modern 370 #12,416
2010 modern 372 #12,651
2011 modern 365 #12,694
2012 modern 366 #12,520
2013 modern 371 #12,597
2014 modern 368 #12,770
2015 modern 368 #12,661
2016 modern 377 #12,415

Geography

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Where Keillers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Erith, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Manchester and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leven East, Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee, Auchtermuchty and Gateside, Knowsley and Badenoch and Strathspey South. 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 Erith Kent
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leven East Fife
2 Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee Perth and Kinross
3 Auchtermuchty and Gateside Fife
4 Knowsley 011 Knowsley
5 Badenoch and Strathspey South Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keiller

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keiller

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Keiller 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

Keiller 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

Keiller 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 Keiller is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Keiller

The surname Keiller has its origins in Scotland, emerging during the Medieval period. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "caillear," which means "ranger" or "forester," suggesting that the name's earliest bearers were likely involved in forestry or woodland occupations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document individuals from Scotland who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Among the names listed is that of Willelmus le Kailghour, indicating the surname's presence during the 13th century.

During the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings, including Keillour, Keillor, and Keilour, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling practices. One notable individual from this period was James Keillor, who was born in Dundee, Scotland, around 1535 and served as a merchant and burgess of the city.

In the 17th century, the Keiller surname continued to be prevalent in Scotland, particularly in the counties of Angus and Perthshire. Records from this era include John Keiller, born in Arbroath in 1660, and Robert Keiller, born in Perth in 1675, both of whom were involved in trade and commerce.

One of the most notable figures with the Keiller surname was James Keiller, a confectioner and entrepreneur born in Dundee in 1808. He founded the Keiller confectionery business, which became renowned for its marmalade and other preserves. His son, Alexander Keiller, born in 1834, continued the family business and expanded its operations throughout the United Kingdom.

Another prominent individual was Sir Alexander Keiller, born in 1889, who was a wealthy businessman and archaeologist. He funded numerous archaeological excavations, including the groundbreaking work at Avebury and Windmill Hill in Wiltshire, England, making significant contributions to our understanding of Neolithic Britain.

The Keiller surname has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Keillor, a village in Angus, and Keillour, an estate and former parish in Perthshire. These place names likely derived from the same etymological roots as the surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and Scotland's historical landscape.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keiller families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keiller 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. Angus leads with 72 Keillers recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.86x.

County Total Index
Angus 72 38.86x
Perthshire 28 31.20x
Lanarkshire 26 4.02x
Midlothian 20 7.47x
Lancashire 18 0.76x
Fife 13 10.98x
Middlesex 8 0.40x
Cheshire 7 1.59x
Aberdeenshire 6 3.24x
Devon 3 0.72x
Surrey 2 0.21x
Northumberland 1 0.34x
Yorkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 45 Keillers recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.07x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 45 65.07x
Liff Benvie 26 92.46x
Glasgow 15 13.06x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 10.21x
Cheetham 7 39.55x
Govan 7 4.38x
Kinnaird 7 3888.89x
St George Martyr 7 207.72x
Broughton In Salford 6 27.65x
Chester St John Baptist 6 75.66x
Edinburgh St Georges 6 107.91x
Newhills 6 158.31x
Perth St Pauls 6 288.46x
Dunfermline 5 27.47x
Perth West Church 5 117.37x
Barony 4 2.44x
Kemback 4 677.97x
Caputh 3 212.77x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 7.96x
Saline 3 454.55x
Stoke Damerel 3 10.30x
Croydon 2 3.70x
Edinburgh St Marys 2 38.39x
Manchester 2 1.87x
Scone 2 125.79x
St Martins 2 392.16x
Beadnell 1 454.55x
Birkenhead 1 2.84x
Forgan 1 44.05x
Kinnoull 1 42.37x
Kirkmichael 1 172.41x
Methven 1 75.76x
Murroes 1 196.08x
Sheffield 1 1.59x
South Leith 1 3.32x
Tottenham 1 3.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Elizabeth 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Kathleen 1
Maria 1
Olive 1
Robina 1

Top male names

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

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 Keiller households.

FAQ

Keiller surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keiller surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Keiller surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 377 in 2016. That gives Keiller a modern rank of #12,415.

What does the Keiller surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic word "cailleir" meaning "shooter" or "archer".

What does the Keiller map show?

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