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

Kee, 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 Kee surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kee in America

Kee is the 3932nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kee surname appeared 9,049 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Kee.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kee 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 Kee

The surname "KEE" is believed to have originated in Scotland, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "cuith," which means "wind" or "breeze." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a windy or breezy area, or perhaps someone with a swift or breezy demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "KEE" can be found in the "Ragman Rolls" of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners who were forced to swear allegiance to King Edward I of England. This document mentions a "William Kee" from the town of Stirling.

During the 16th century, the name "KEE" appeared in various spellings, such as "KEY," "KEYE," and "KEYE," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling that were common at the time. One notable example is Sir Thomas Key (1503-1588), an English judge and politician who served as a member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name "KEE" began to spread beyond Scotland, with some families migrating to other parts of the British Isles and even to the American colonies. One notable figure from this period is James Key (1635-1696), a Quaker minister and author who was born in England but later settled in Pennsylvania.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals with the surname "KEE," including Francis Scott Key (1779-1843), the American lawyer and author who wrote the lyrics to the national anthem of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner." Another prominent figure from this era was John Key (1760-1842), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became a member of Parliament.

In the 19th century, the name "KEE" continued to gain prominence, with individuals such as John Kee (1819-1886), an English inventor and entrepreneur who pioneered the development of the modern bicycle. Additionally, there was Thomas Kee (1825-1897), an Irish Catholic priest and author who wrote extensively on religious and historical topics.

Throughout history, the surname "KEE" has been associated with various occupations, from judges and politicians to inventors and authors, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have borne this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kee

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

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

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

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