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

Keem, 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 Keem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keem in America

Keem is the 102688th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keem surname appeared 175 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 Keem.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keem 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 Keem

The surname KEEM is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "cyme," which means "coming" or "arrival." The name likely referred to someone who had recently arrived in a particular area or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KEEM can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Keem in the county of Gloucestershire.

In the 13th century, the name KEEM appeared in various forms, such as Kyme, Keyme, and Keeme, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation during that time. These variations were often tied to specific regions or dialects.

The surname KEEM was particularly prominent in the county of Lincolnshire, where it was associated with the village of Kyme. This place name, derived from the Old English word "cyme," further reinforces the connection between the surname and its original meaning.

One notable individual bearing the surname KEEM was Sir William Kyme (c. 1290-1335), a prominent English knight and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire in the early 14th century.

Another historical figure with the surname KEEM was John Kyme (c. 1380-1452), a wealthy wool merchant and benefactor from Lincolnshire. He was instrumental in the construction of several churches and religious buildings in the region.

In the 16th century, the KEEM surname appeared in various records, including the Parish Registers of Oxfordshire, where a Thomas Keem was recorded in 1574.

The KEEM family also had a presence in Scotland, with records showing a James Keem who was a burgess (a freeman of a borough) in the city of Aberdeen in the late 16th century.

During the 17th century, the spelling of the surname evolved further, with variants such as Keeme, Keam, and Keem emerging. One notable individual from this period was William Keeme (c. 1630-1695), an English clergyman and author who published several theological works.

As the centuries passed, the KEEM surname continued to be found throughout various regions of England, as well as in Scotland and Ireland, reflecting the migration patterns of families bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keem

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

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

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

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