2000
#3,918
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,333
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.09
Rare Last name
Keaton
From an English place name meaning "place of hawks," or an occupational name for a kite keeper.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,931 Americans carry the last name Keaton. That puts it at #3,974 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.90 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 34,514 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Keaton surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Keaton with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.9K
1 in 34,514
Census rank
#3,974
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,660 bearers of the surname Keaton in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.90 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3974th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Keaton, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.8%. The next largest groups are Black (25.7%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Keaton
The surname Keaton has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "catu" or "caten," which referred to a farm or small homestead. The name was likely used to identify people who lived on or near such a property.
In its earliest recorded forms, the name appeared as "de Caton" or "de Catton" in various medieval records and documents. One notable example is the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where the name "Henry de Caton" is mentioned in connection with holdings in Yorkshire.
As the name evolved over time, it took on various spellings, such as Caton, Catton, and eventually Keaton. Many of these variations can be found in parish records and other historical documents throughout the centuries.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John de Caton, a knight who lived in the 14th century and was mentioned in the Patent Rolls of 1344 for his service to King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War.
In the 16th century, the name Keaton appeared in connection with several place names in various parts of England, such as Keaton in Cumbria and Keaton in Shropshire. These place names likely contributed to the further spread and establishment of the surname.
Notable individuals with the surname Keaton throughout history include:
1. Buster Keaton (1895-1966), an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker known for his physical comedy and deadpan expression.
2. Diane Keaton (born 1946), an American actress known for her roles in films such as "The Godfather" and "Annie Hall."
3. Michael Keaton (born 1951), an American actor best known for his performances in films like "Beetlejuice" and "Batman."
4. Caroline Keaton (1828-1898), an American educator and writer who was one of the first female students at Oberlin College.
5. Joseph Keaton (1797-1876), an English artist and engraver known for his landscapes and architectural illustrations.
The surname Keaton has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England. Its evolution and spread across various regions and contexts have contributed to its enduring presence as a surname over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Keaton
Among Census respondents with the surname Keaton, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.8%. The next largest groups are Black (25.7%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Keaton bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Keaton surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White65.8% · 5,701
- Black or African American25.7% · 2,226
- Two or more races4.4% · 380
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 256
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 56
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 41
Timeline
Historical Census data for Keaton
Keaton appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,656
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,723
+1,390 bearers (+16.7%)
Per 100,000 3.30
Rank movement Up 262 places
2020
#3,974
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,660
-1,063 bearers (-10.9%)
Per 100,000 2.90
Rank movement Down 318 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,918 | 8,333 | 3.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,656 | 9,723 | 3.30 | +1,390 bearers (+16.7%) | Up 262 places |
| 2020 | #3,974 | 8,660 | 2.90 | -1,063 bearers (-10.9%) | Down 318 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Keaton surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,656 | #3,974 | -8.7% |
| Count | 9,723 | 8,660 | -10.9% |
| Per 100K | 3.30 | 2.90 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Keaton bearers went from 9,723 to 8,660 (-10.9% change). The surname moved down 318 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,656 to #3,974.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Keaton
FAQ
Keaton surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Keaton?
Name Census estimates that about 9,931 living Americans carry the surname Keaton. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 34,514 residents.
How common is Keaton?
Keaton ranks #3,974 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.90 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 8,660 people with the surname Keaton. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,931), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.9 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.90 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Keaton.
Has Keaton become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Keaton went from 9,723 recorded bearers to 8,660. That is a decrease of 1,063 (-10.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,656 to #3,974.
What does the Census say about the background of Keaton?
Among Census respondents with the surname Keaton, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.8%. The next largest groups are Black (25.7%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Keaton in the 2020 Census, accounting for 65.8% (5,701 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Keaton appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (65.8%), Black (25.7%), Two or More Races (4.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Keaton (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Keaton mean?
From an English place name meaning "place of hawks," or an occupational name for a kite keeper. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Keaton (2.90 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Keaton?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.