NameCensus.

UK surname

Keith

A Scottish and English surname derived from a place name meaning "large woods" or "wooded area."

In the 1881 census there were 3,224 people recorded with the Keith surname, ranking it #1,401 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,241, ranked #1,599, down from #1,401 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old Deer, London parishes and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Longside and Rattray, Cornwall and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keith is 4,252 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.5%.

1881 census count

3,224

Ranked #1,401

Modern count

4,241

2016, ranked #1,599

Peak year

2015

4,252 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keith had 3,224 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,401 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,241 in 2016, ranked #1,599.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,496 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Keith surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keith surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keith 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 2,318 #1,277
1861 historical 2,521 #1,159
1881 historical 3,224 #1,401
1891 historical 3,276 #1,448
1901 historical 3,496 #1,596
1911 historical 1,412 #3,415
1997 modern 3,922 #1,662
1998 modern 4,047 #1,671
1999 modern 4,051 #1,676
2000 modern 3,999 #1,695
2001 modern 3,915 #1,689
2002 modern 4,011 #1,684
2003 modern 3,898 #1,695
2004 modern 3,972 #1,666
2005 modern 3,991 #1,631
2006 modern 3,958 #1,643
2007 modern 3,995 #1,647
2008 modern 4,062 #1,628
2009 modern 4,099 #1,657
2010 modern 4,209 #1,647
2011 modern 4,113 #1,662
2012 modern 4,070 #1,648
2013 modern 4,171 #1,642
2014 modern 4,244 #1,623
2015 modern 4,252 #1,603
2016 modern 4,241 #1,599

Geography

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Where Keiths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Old Deer, London parishes, Govan Combination, Lanark and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Longside and Rattray, Cornwall, New Forest, Brechin East and South Lakeland. 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 Old Deer Aberdeen
2 London parishes London 3
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Lanark Lanark
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Longside and Rattray Aberdeenshire
2 Cornwall 026 Cornwall
3 New Forest 012 New Forest
4 Brechin East Angus
5 South Lakeland 013 South Lakeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keith

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keith

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Keith is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Keith is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Keith 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 Keith 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 Keith, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Keith

The surname Keith originates from the Scottish Borders region, tracing its roots back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Cumbric term 'ced,' meaning a wood or forest, combined with the Old English word 'hith,' meaning a haven or landing place. This suggests that the name likely originated from a location near a wooded area or a safe harbor.

The earliest recorded instance of the Keith surname appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One notable entry is Robert de Kethe, a landowner from the village of Keith in East Lothian, Scotland.

During the 13th century, the Keith family established themselves as a prominent Scottish clan, with their ancestral seat located at the Keith Marischal estate in East Lothian. This estate was granted to them by King Robert the Bruce in recognition of their loyalty and military service during the Scottish Wars of Independence.

In the 14th century, Sir Robert Keith, born around 1305, played a significant role in Scottish history. He served as the Great Marischal of Scotland, a hereditary position responsible for the organization and command of the Scottish armies. Sir Robert Keith was also a close confidant of King David II and accompanied him into exile in France.

Another notable figure bearing the Keith surname was George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal (1553-1623). He was a prominent Scottish nobleman and statesman who served as the Lord Privy Seal of Scotland and played a crucial role in the negotiations leading to the Union of the Crowns in 1603, which united the kingdoms of Scotland and England under King James VI of Scotland (James I of England).

In the 17th century, James Keith (1696-1758) was a Scottish soldier and Prussian field marshal who served under King Frederick the Great of Prussia. He distinguished himself in several battles during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War, earning the nickname "The Prussian Keith."

Over the centuries, variations of the Keith surname emerged, including Keyth, Keath, and Keithe. These variants were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in historical records. Additionally, the name has been associated with several place names, such as Keith in Banffshire, Scotland, and Keith in Moray, Scotland, further cementing its Scottish heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keith families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keith 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 619 Keiths recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.34x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 619 21.34x
Lanarkshire 371 3.66x
Angus 298 10.27x
Middlesex 205 0.65x
Midlothian 180 4.29x
Caithness 159 37.09x
Yorkshire 158 0.51x
Renfrewshire 132 5.44x
Lancashire 127 0.34x
Argyllshire 103 11.82x
Northumberland 96 2.06x
Kincardineshire 75 19.67x
Fife 65 3.51x
Perthshire 54 3.84x
Durham 52 0.56x
Surrey 49 0.32x
Kent 42 0.39x
Dunbartonshire 36 4.28x
Buteshire 33 17.39x
Hampshire 30 0.47x
Banffshire 29 4.46x
Essex 27 0.44x
Warwickshire 19 0.24x
Morayshire 18 3.70x
Peeblesshire 14 9.51x
West Lothian 14 2.97x
Berkshire 12 0.51x
Sutherland 12 4.98x
Cheshire 11 0.16x
Inverness-shire 11 1.18x
Stirlingshire 11 0.95x
Lincolnshire 10 0.20x
Shetland 10 3.13x
Wigtownshire 10 2.41x
Wiltshire 9 0.33x
Cornwall 8 0.23x
Norfolk 8 0.17x
Ayrshire 7 0.30x
Derbyshire 7 0.14x
Orkney 7 2.03x
Westmorland 7 1.02x
Royal Navy 6 1.61x
Somerset 6 0.12x
Devon 5 0.08x
Hertfordshire 5 0.23x
Ross-shire 5 0.58x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.20x
Glamorgan 4 0.07x
Roxburghshire 4 0.71x
Northamptonshire 3 0.10x
Oxfordshire 3 0.16x
Sussex 3 0.06x
Clackmannanshire 2 0.77x
Dorset 2 0.10x
East Lothian 2 0.48x
Gloucestershire 2 0.03x
Kinross-shire 1 1.26x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.22x
Monmouthshire 1 0.04x
Nairnshire 1 1.05x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.02x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.10x
Shropshire 1 0.04x
Suffolk 1 0.03x
Worcestershire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 110 Keiths recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.17x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 110 18.17x
Dundee 110 10.16x
Barony 107 4.17x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 96 17.69x
Govan 90 3.59x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 80 4.74x
Old Deer 72 131.03x
Lanark 57 69.96x
Latheron 43 59.96x
Peterhead 43 28.04x
Liff Benvie 42 9.54x
Jura 40 470.04x
Forfar 35 22.28x
Fetteresso 34 56.89x
Halkirk 33 113.79x
Crimond 32 358.34x
Longbenton 32 16.22x
Longside 31 89.52x
Glasgow 30 1.67x
Hornsea 25 127.03x
Menmuir 24 295.93x
Turriff 22 47.00x
Campbeltown 21 19.97x
Kensington London 21 1.21x
Brechin 19 16.67x
Hamilton 19 6.73x
Islington London 19 0.63x
East Greenock 18 7.85x
Ellon 18 45.14x
Rothesay 18 19.59x
Thurso 18 26.92x
Neilston 17 13.96x
South Leith 17 3.60x
West Ham 17 1.25x
Hackney London 16 0.91x
Wick 16 11.55x
Abbey 15 4.05x
Elswick 15 4.03x
Fyvie 15 31.70x
Paddington London 15 1.30x
West Derby 15 1.38x
Canisbay 14 49.73x
Edinburgh St Georges 14 16.08x
Mile End Old Town London 14 2.10x
St George In East London 14 4.75x
Upper Allithwaite E 14 232.56x
King Edward 13 38.90x
New Deer 13 24.76x
Old Monkland 13 3.23x
Innerleithen 12 30.70x
Kirkdale 12 1.92x
Paisley High Church 12 6.21x
Auchtermuchty 11 44.18x
Bishopwearmouth 11 1.38x
Cathcart 11 8.38x
Cruden 11 29.46x
Dunnet 11 63.81x
Gateshead 11 1.58x
Kinnoull 11 29.77x
Newhills 11 18.52x
Olrig 11 51.35x
Paisley Middle Church 11 7.79x
St Vigeans 11 7.02x
Aston 10 0.46x
Byker 10 4.34x
Carluke 10 10.87x
Foveran 10 45.56x
Kilchoman 10 36.56x
Lambeth 10 0.37x
Liverpool 10 0.44x
Methlick 10 43.07x
Nigg 10 31.70x
St Marylebone London 10 0.60x
Auchterless 9 39.10x
Bethnal Green London 9 0.66x
Brandesburton 9 110.57x
Creich 9 216.87x
Dunfermline 9 3.16x
Inverness 9 3.83x
Kilmaronock 9 90.27x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 56
William 48
James 43
George 37
Thomas 26
Charles 20
Henry 17
Robert 16
Edward 13
Alexander 12
David 10
Joseph 9
Archibald 5
Arthur 5
Herbert 5
Alfred 4
Richard 4
Wm. 4
Andrew 3
Daniel 3
Donald 3
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Thos. 3
Alexer 2
Ambrose 2
Archie 2
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Fredrick 2
Hugh 2
Malcolm 2
Mark 2
Michael 2
Richd. 2
Samuel 2
W. 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Alfd. 1
Atkinson 1
Cyril 1
Duncan 1
Edw. 1
Ernest 1
Eugene 1
I. 1
Isaac 1
Jno. 1

FAQ

Keith surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keith surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,224 people were recorded with the Keith surname. That placed it at #1,401 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keith surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,241 in 2016. That gives Keith a modern rank of #1,599.

What does the Keith surname mean?

A Scottish and English surname derived from a place name meaning "large woods" or "wooded area."

What does the Keith map show?

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