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

Keel, 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 Keel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keel in America

Keel is the 4090th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keel surname appeared 8,682 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 Keel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keel 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 Keel

The surname Keel is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "ciele," which means "keel" or "ship's keel." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who worked as shipbuilders or sailors.

The earliest known record of the surname Keel dates back to the 13th century, where it appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. This historic document recorded the name as "Kele." Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, "Keel."

In the 14th century, the Keel surname appeared in various historical records, including the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where it was recorded as "Kelle." This version of the spelling could also be linked to the Old English word "celle," meaning "spring" or "stream," indicating that the name may have been associated with individuals living near a watercourse.

One notable individual with the surname Keel was Sir John Keel, a prominent English merchant and politician who lived in the 16th century. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1548 and was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers.

Another historical figure with the Keel surname was Richard Keel, an English clergyman who lived in the 17th century. He was the rector of the parish church in Oxfordshire and is mentioned in several church records from that time period.

In the 18th century, the Keel surname was associated with several notable individuals, including Thomas Keel, a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He participated in several significant naval battles and is mentioned in various naval records from that era.

Moving into the 19th century, one of the most prominent individuals with the Keel surname was James Keel, a British author and journalist. He was born in 1827 and is best known for his travel writings and accounts of his adventures in various parts of the world.

Finally, in the early 20th century, Alfred Keel was a notable English artist and sculptor. He was born in 1892 and is known for his works depicting scenes from rural life and landscapes. His sculptures and paintings can be found in several art galleries and museums across the United Kingdom.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keel

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

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

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

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