NameCensus.

UK surname

Keville

A surname of Irish origin possibly derived from Gaelic 'O'Cadhla' meaning 'descendant of the handsome one'.

In the 1881 census there were 12 people recorded with the Keville surname, ranking it #31,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 164, ranked #22,314, up from #31,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, Swindon and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Keville is 170 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1266.7%.

1881 census count

12

Ranked #31,914

Modern count

164

2016, ranked #22,314

Peak year

2010

170 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Keville had 12 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016, ranked #22,314.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 54 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Keville surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Keville surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Keville 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 12 #31,134
1861 historical 37 #29,339
1881 historical 12 #31,914
1891 historical 54 #29,849
1901 historical 51 #28,492
1911 historical 40 #28,913
1997 modern 150 #21,119
1998 modern 159 #20,916
1999 modern 162 #20,781
2000 modern 159 #20,975
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 168 #20,396
2003 modern 168 #20,171
2004 modern 161 #20,840
2005 modern 164 #20,552
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 167 #20,719
2008 modern 166 #20,966
2009 modern 167 #21,383
2010 modern 170 #21,560
2011 modern 163 #21,983
2012 modern 155 #22,762
2013 modern 156 #23,004
2014 modern 166 #22,277
2015 modern 168 #21,971
2016 modern 164 #22,314

Geography

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Where Kevilles 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 Birmingham, Swindon, Chichester and Salford. 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 Birmingham 119 Birmingham
2 Swindon 013 Swindon
3 Chichester 011 Chichester
4 Salford 020 Salford
5 Swindon 016 Swindon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Keville

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Keville

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Keville surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Keville 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Keville 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

Keville 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

Keville 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 Keville 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Keville

The surname Keville originates from Ireland and has its roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words 'caoimh' meaning gentle or kind, and 'giolla' meaning servant or follower, thus signifying a gentle servant or follower. The name was initially spelled in various ways, such as Caoimhgheille, Caoimhghiolla, and Caomhghill, before evolving into its modern form, Keville.

The earliest recorded instances of the Keville name can be found in ancient Irish manuscripts and genealogical records, although the exact details remain obscure. One notable mention is in the Annals of the Four Masters, which reference a Keville family in County Cavan in the 16th century.

During the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century, many Irish families, including the Kevilles, were displaced from their ancestral lands. As a result, the name became widespread across various parts of the country, particularly in counties like Cavan, Monaghan, and Fermanagh.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the Keville surname was Seamus Keville, a renowned Irish poet and scholar who lived in the 16th century. His works provided valuable insights into the cultural and literary traditions of his time.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure named Patrick Keville gained recognition as a leader of the Irish rebel forces during the Irish Confederate Wars. He played a significant role in the defense of his homeland against the English forces.

Another notable Keville was Michael Keville, born in 1832, who was a prominent Irish nationalist and member of the Fenian Brotherhood, a revolutionary organization dedicated to the establishment of an independent Irish republic.

In more recent times, Brendan Keville, born in 1944, was a distinguished Irish lawyer and judge who served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ireland from 2004 to 2014.

Throughout history, the Keville name has been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Keville Grove in County Cavan and Keville Lough in County Fermanagh, further reinforcing its deep-rooted connection to the Irish landscape and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Keville families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Keville 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. Northumberland leads with 7 Kevilles recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.25x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 7 40.25x
Staffordshire 2 5.07x
Somerset 1 5.32x
Sussex 1 5.08x
Yorkshire 1 0.86x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newcastle On Tyne All Sts in Northumberland leads with 7 Kevilles recorded in 1881 and an index of 673.08x.

Place Total Index
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 7 673.08x
Brighton 1 25.19x
Cannock 1 144.93x
Silkstone 1 1666.67x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 23.92x
Yeovil 1 263.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 2
Annie 1
Mary 1
May 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
Michael 2
Geo.H. 1
John 1
William 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 Keville households.

FAQ

Keville surname: questions and answers

How common was the Keville surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12 people were recorded with the Keville surname. That placed it at #31,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Keville surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016. That gives Keville a modern rank of #22,314.

What does the Keville surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin possibly derived from Gaelic 'O'Cadhla' meaning 'descendant of the handsome one'.

What does the Keville map show?

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