2000
#3,557
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,173
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.40
Rare Last name
Kee
A Chinese surname meaning "branch" or "flag," or a variant of Scottish surnames meaning "left-handed" or "crooked."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,534 Americans carry the last name Kee. That puts it at #4,140 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.78 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 35,951 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kee 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 Kee with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.5K
1 in 35,951
Census rank
#4,140
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,314 bearers of the surname Kee in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.78 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4140th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kee, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.0%. The next largest groups are Black (21.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (9.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "KEE" can be found in the "Ragman Rolls" of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners who were forced to swear allegiance to King Edward I of England.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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kee
Among Census respondents with the surname Kee, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.0%. The next largest groups are Black (21.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (9.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kee 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 Kee surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White50.0% · 4,161
- Black or African American21.6% · 1,792
- Asian and Pacific Islander9.9% · 823
- American Indian and Alaska Native9.9% · 822
- Two or more races4.9% · 408
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 308
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kee
Kee 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
#3,932
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,049
-124 bearers (-1.4%)
Per 100,000 3.07
Rank movement Down 375 places
2020
#4,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,314
-735 bearers (-8.1%)
Per 100,000 2.78
Rank movement Down 208 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,557 | 9,173 | 3.40 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,932 | 9,049 | 3.07 | -124 bearers (-1.4%) | Down 375 places |
| 2020 | #4,140 | 8,314 | 2.78 | -735 bearers (-8.1%) | Down 208 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 Kee 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 | #3,932 | #4,140 | -5.3% |
| Count | 9,049 | 8,314 | -8.1% |
| Per 100K | 3.07 | 2.78 | -9.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kee bearers went from 9,049 to 8,314 (-8.1% change). The surname moved down 208 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,932 to #4,140.
FAQ
Kee surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kee?
Name Census estimates that about 9,534 living Americans carry the surname Kee. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 35,951 residents.
How common is Kee?
Kee ranks #4,140 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.78 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 8,314 people with the surname Kee. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,534), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.78 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.78 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 Kee.
Has Kee become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kee went from 9,049 recorded bearers to 8,314. That is a decrease of 735 (-8.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,932 to #4,140.
What does the Census say about the background of Kee?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kee, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.0%. The next largest groups are Black (21.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (9.9%). 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 Kee in the 2020 Census, accounting for 50.0% (4,161 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kee appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (50.0%), Black (21.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (9.9%). 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 Kee (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 Kee mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "branch" or "flag," or a variant of Scottish surnames meaning "left-handed" or "crooked." 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 Kee (2.78 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 common is the surname Kee?
See how many people are called Kee on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.