NameCensus.

UK surname

Keough

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Eochaidh," meaning "son of Eochaidh" (a personal name meaning "horseman").

In the 1881 census there were 205 people recorded with the Keough surname, ranking it #12,643 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 306, ranked #14,543, down from #12,643 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Stockport and Arlecdon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Whiteinch, Copeland and Braintree.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keough is 346 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.3%.

1881 census count

205

Ranked #12,643

Modern count

306

2016, ranked #14,543

Peak year

1998

346 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keough had 205 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,643 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016, ranked #14,543.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 255 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Keough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keough surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keough 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 187 #10,978
1861 historical 145 #15,715
1881 historical 205 #12,643
1891 historical 199 #14,977
1901 historical 255 #12,965
1911 historical 254 #12,748
1997 modern 328 #12,758
1998 modern 346 #12,630
1999 modern 334 #13,022
2000 modern 337 #12,901
2001 modern 321 #13,125
2002 modern 325 #13,275
2003 modern 310 #13,522
2004 modern 295 #14,025
2005 modern 286 #14,242
2006 modern 285 #14,361
2007 modern 294 #14,241
2008 modern 294 #14,327
2009 modern 301 #14,386
2010 modern 299 #14,769
2011 modern 285 #15,140
2012 modern 301 #14,476
2013 modern 298 #14,815
2014 modern 299 #14,880
2015 modern 301 #14,727
2016 modern 306 #14,543

Geography

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Where Keoughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Stockport, Arlecdon, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Whiteinch, Copeland, Braintree and Walsall. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Arlecdon Cumberland
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Whiteinch Glasgow City
2 Copeland 004 Copeland
3 Braintree 004 Braintree
4 Walsall 008 Walsall
5 Walsall 009 Walsall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keough

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Keough is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Keough 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

Keough falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Keough is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Keough

The surname Keough has its roots in Ireland, originating from the Irish Gaelic surname "Ó Ciadhóg." This name is derived from the personal name "Ciadhóg," which means "descendant of the celebrated one." The name can be traced back to the early medieval period in Ireland, around the 9th or 10th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in ancient Irish annals and manuscripts, such as the Annals of the Four Masters. One notable mention is of Aodh Ua Ciadhóg, a chieftain of the Uí Bhreasail clan in the 11th century.

As the name spread across Ireland, it underwent various spelling variations, including Keough, Kehoe, Keogh, and Keogh. These variations emerged due to the anglicization of Irish names during the English conquest of Ireland in the 16th and 17th centuries.

One significant figure bearing this surname was William Keogh (1756-1832), an Irish politician and judge who served as the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Another notable individual was John Keogh (1681-1752), an Irish merchant and landowner who played a prominent role in the Irish Catholic Committee, advocating for Catholic rights in Ireland.

The name Keough also found its way into the arts, with the Irish novelist and playwright Kathleen Keough (1915-1997) being a prominent figure in the literary world. In the field of sports, the American professional baseball player Evan Keough (born 1990) has made a name for himself as a pitcher in the minor leagues.

It is worth mentioning that the surname Keough has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Keogh's Cross in County Galway and Keoghville in County Limerick, further solidifying its deep-rooted connection to the Irish landscape and history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keough 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. Lancashire leads with 72 Keoughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.02x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 72 3.02x
Surrey 18 1.84x
Yorkshire 18 0.90x
Cheshire 17 3.83x
Middlesex 17 0.85x
Warwickshire 15 2.96x
Dunbartonshire 14 25.93x
Kent 7 1.02x
Angus 6 3.22x
Staffordshire 5 0.74x
Gloucestershire 4 1.02x
Glamorgan 3 0.86x
Durham 2 0.33x
Hampshire 2 0.49x
Somerset 2 0.62x
Channel Islands 1 1.68x
Devon 1 0.24x
Essex 1 0.25x
Worcestershire 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 18 Keoughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.79x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 18 16.79x
Birmingham 15 8.88x
Cardross 14 216.05x
Hyde 12 91.67x
Little Bolton 9 29.35x
Spotland 9 33.95x
St George In East London 9 47.62x
Bermondsey 8 13.37x
Lambeth 8 4.57x
Liverpool 8 5.52x
Selby 8 192.31x
Hopwood 7 224.36x
Windle 7 52.16x
Great Bolton 6 19.00x
Leeds 6 5.34x
Charlton 4 87.91x
Chipping Campden 4 312.50x
Runcorn 4 39.10x
Wolstanton 4 19.42x
Dundee 3 4.32x
Halifax 3 10.26x
Liff Benvie 3 10.62x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 8.92x
Radcliffe 3 26.11x
Woolwich 3 11.84x
Alverstoke 2 13.41x
Burnley 2 9.96x
Islington London 2 1.03x
Limehouse London 2 9.07x
St Marylebone London 2 1.86x
Battersea 1 1.35x
Birkenhead 1 2.83x
Church 1 29.67x
Everton 1 1.32x
Hackney London 1 0.89x
Horsington 1 192.31x
Kensington London 1 0.90x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 11.81x
Shadforth 1 86.21x
Southcoates 1 9.05x
St Helier 1 5.16x
Stoke Damerel 1 3.42x
Stranton 1 4.97x
Sutton 1 14.12x
West Ham 1 1.14x
Wigan 1 3.00x
Wolverhampton 1 1.92x
Yardley 1 14.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 13
James 12
William 12
Thomas 10
Edward 4
Daniel 3
Joseph 3
Martin 3
Denis 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Harry 2
Jeremiah 2
Michael 2
Patrick 2
Ambros 1
Charles 1
Frank 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Josh. 1
Lawrance 1
Louis 1
Mathew 1
Moses 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Keough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 205 people were recorded with the Keough surname. That placed it at #12,643 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016. That gives Keough a modern rank of #14,543.

What does the Keough surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Eochaidh," meaning "son of Eochaidh" (a personal name meaning "horseman").

What does the Keough map show?

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