Find out how popular the last name Kean is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Kean.

Kean, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Kean surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kean in America

Kean is the 7543rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kean surname appeared 4,408 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Kean.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kean to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Kean

The surname Kean has its roots in Ireland, tracing back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "cian," meaning "ancient" or "distant." The name was initially found in County Galway, where it was associated with the ancient territories of Cenél Áedha and Cenél Fearmaic.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a notable figure named Donnchadh Kean, who lived in the late 14th century and was a member of the Uí Briúin Seóla dynasty.

In the 16th century, the Kean family played a significant role in the Gaelic Irish resistance against the English Tudor conquest of Ireland. A notable figure was Conn Kean, who fought alongside the Earl of Desmond during the Desmond Rebellions (1579-1583) against Queen Elizabeth I.

The name Kean also appears in various historical records, such as the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which document land grants and appointments made by the English monarchs in Ireland. One such record from 1605 mentions a land grant to Dermot Kean in County Galway.

As the centuries progressed, the Kean name spread beyond Ireland. In the 18th century, Edmund Kean (1787-1833) became one of the most renowned English actors of his time, renowned for his performances in Shakespearean tragedies.

Another notable figure was Charles John Kean (1811-1868), an English actor and theatre manager who was the son of Edmund Kean. He was renowned for his lavish productions of Shakespeare's plays and his efforts to preserve historic theatres in London.

In the field of literature, the Kean surname is associated with the Irish-born American writer Mary Kean (1845-1920), who wrote several notable works, including "The Hungarians of To-day" and "The Homesteaders."

Thomas Kean (1927-2022) was an American politician who served as the 48th Governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990. He played a prominent role in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks as the chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Kean, showcasing its rich heritage and presence across various fields and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kean

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Kean.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kean was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Kean has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Kean was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kean, please contact us.

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