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

Keenan, 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 Keenan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keenan in America

Keenan is the 1765th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keenan surname appeared 20,353 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Keenan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keenan 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 Keenan

The surname Keenan originated in Ireland, with roots dating back to ancient Gaelic times. It is an anglicized version of the Gaelic name O'Cianain, derived from the personal name Cianan, which means "ancient" or "little ancient one." The name is associated with County Derry and County Antrim in Northern Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The Annals mention a notable figure named Sluaghadach Ua Cianain, who was the chief poet of Ireland in the 10th century.

In the 11th century, the name appeared in the Domesday Book, a census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry referred to a landowner named Cheuenan, which is believed to be an early spelling variation of Keenan.

During the Middle Ages, the Keenan family held lands and estates in County Derry and County Antrim. One notable member was Niall Óg Ó Cianáin, a 15th-century Irish poet and historian from County Derry.

Another prominent figure was Andrew Keenan (1776-1828), an Irish-born soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later became a pioneer settler in Kentucky.

In the 19th century, John Keenan (1816-1865) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War, known for his bravery and leadership in several battles, including the Battle of Chancellorsville.

William Joseph Keenan (1830-1907) was a Canadian Catholic priest and educator who founded St. Patrick's School in Hamilton, Ontario, and played a significant role in developing the city's educational system.

Harriet Keenan (1871-1954) was an American actress and playwright, known for her work on the Broadway stage in the early 20th century.

The Keenan surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Keenan's Cross in County Antrim and Keenan's Bridge in County Derry, reflecting the family's historical presence in those regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keenan

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

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

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

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