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

Keefe, 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 Keefe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keefe in America

Keefe is the 3275th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keefe surname appeared 11,028 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Keefe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keefe 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 Keefe

The surname KEEFE originates from Ireland, tracing its roots back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "caomh," meaning gentle or kind. The name first arose in County Galway, situated in the western province of Connacht.

One of the earliest documented references to the KEEFE surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a notable figure named Maolmuire O'Caomh, who lived in the 13th century and held the title of Archbishop of Tuam.

In the 16th century, the KEEFE name appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of official records from the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. This record documents the granting of lands and privileges to individuals, including those bearing the KEEFE surname.

One of the most prominent figures in Irish history with the KEEFE surname was John Keefe (1670-1731), a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Tuam who played a significant role in the Catholic Church's resistance against the Penal Laws imposed on Catholics in Ireland during the 18th century.

Another notable KEEFE was Patrick Keefe (1789-1863), an Irish poet and songwriter who was renowned for his ballads and satirical works. His compositions offered insights into the social and political climate of 19th-century Ireland.

In the realm of literature, Maurice Francis Egan (1852-1924), an American writer and diplomat who was born into an Irish family with the KEEFE surname, made significant contributions. He authored several novels and short stories that depicted Irish-American life and culture.

The KEEFE surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Keefeporth and Keefepark, both located in County Galway. These place names likely originated from individuals with the KEEFE surname who held land or settled in those areas.

Throughout the centuries, the KEEFE surname has undergone various spelling variations, including O'Keefe, Keefe, Keeffe, and Keeffe, reflecting the fluidity of Irish surnames and the influence of regional dialects and anglicization.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keefe

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

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

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

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