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

Keats, 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 Keats surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keats in America

Keats is the 33196th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keats surname appeared 689 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Keats.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keats 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 Keats

The surname Keats originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the early 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "cet," which means "hut" or "cottage." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a small dwelling or a particular area known for its cottages.

Keats as a surname is found in various historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1199, where a person named William Kete is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also lists a John Ket in Huntingdonshire. These early records demonstrate the name's presence in different regions of England during the medieval period.

The surname Keats is also linked to several place names in England, such as Keats Green in Staffordshire and Keats Cottage in Hampstead, London. The latter was the former residence of the renowned Romantic poet John Keats, who lived from 1795 to 1821 and is arguably the most famous bearer of this surname.

Other notable individuals with the surname Keats include:

1. Gwendolen Keats (1859-1945), an English philanthropist and social reformer.
2. Henry Keats (1726-1804), an English writer and playwright.
3. Sir Richard Goodwin Keats (1757-1834), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.
4. John Keats (1895-1987), an English cricketer who played for Essex and England.
5. Ezra Jack Keats (1916-1983), an American writer and illustrator of children's books, best known for "The Snowy Day."

Throughout its history, the surname Keats has undergone various spellings, including Ket, Kete, and Keyte, reflecting the regional variations and evolution of the English language over time. While its origins can be traced back to the 13th century, the name continues to hold significance, particularly due to its association with the celebrated Romantic poet John Keats.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keats

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

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 Keats 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 Keats 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 Keats was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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