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

Keaveney, 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 Keaveney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keaveney in America

Keaveney is the 35057th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keaveney surname appeared 643 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 Keaveney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keaveney 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 Keaveney

The surname Keaveney originated in Ireland and is derived from the Irish Gaelic name "O'Ciadhain." This name means "descendant of Ciadhan," with Ciadhan being an old Irish personal name meaning "celebrated warrior." The earliest known recordings of the name date back to the 16th century in County Mayo, located in the province of Connacht, Ireland.

The Keaveney surname is associated with the Gaelic-Irish sept or clan known as the Uí Briúin Seóla. This clan was a branch of the larger Uí Briúin dynasty that ruled over parts of what is now County Roscommon and County Sligo during the medieval period. The Uí Briúin Seóla were based in the Barony of Carra, which encompassed parts of modern-day County Mayo and County Sligo.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Keaveney surname can be found in the Annals of Loch Cé, a chronicle of Irish affairs compiled by the Franciscan monks of Lough Key, County Roscommon. In an entry dated 1585, a member of the Keaveney family is mentioned as a participant in a battle between rival Irish clans.

Over the centuries, the Keaveney surname has appeared in various historical records, including the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which were letters patent issued by the English Crown in Ireland during the 16th and 17th centuries. These records provide valuable insights into the lives and activities of prominent Keaveney individuals during that period.

Notable individuals with the Keaveney surname throughout history include:

1. Conor Keaveney (c. 1600-1670), a renowned Irish soldier who fought for the Catholic Confederacy during the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s.
2. Bridget Keaveney (c. 1650-1720), a respected midwife and healer who practiced in County Mayo in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
3. Patrick Keaveney (1756-1828), a prominent merchant and landowner in County Mayo during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
4. Michael Keaveney (1837-1916), an Irish nationalist and member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who participated in the Fenian Rising of 1867.
5. Mary Keaveney (1890-1976), a renowned Irish traditional singer and storyteller from County Mayo, who helped preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of her native region.

The Keaveney surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, particularly in County Mayo, where several townlands and localities bear the name or variations of it, such as Keaveney, Keevyny, and Keewinny.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keaveney

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

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

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

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