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

Keene, 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 Keene surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keene in America

Keene is the 2032nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keene surname appeared 17,711 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Keene.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keene 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 Keene

The surname Keene has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "cene," meaning "bold" or "brave." The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1176, where it appears as "Kene."

The name Keene is also closely associated with the town of Keene in Hampshire, England. It is believed that some individuals may have adopted the surname Keene after being born or residing in this town. The town's name itself is derived from the Old English word "cene," suggesting a connection between the place name and the surname.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries for individuals with the name "Kene" or similar spellings, indicating the early presence of the name in various parts of the country.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Keene was Robert Keene, born in 1355 in Wiltshire, England. He was a prominent landowner and served as a member of Parliament during the reign of King Edward III.

Another notable figure was Sir Benjamin Keene (1697-1757), a British diplomat who served as the British Ambassador to Spain and Portugal. He played a significant role in negotiating the Treaty of Madrid in 1750, which helped establish a period of peace between Britain and Spain.

In the 16th century, the surname Keene appeared in the records of the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. One such individual was John Keene, a prosperous landowner and contemporary of Shakespeare, who was born around 1560.

Edmund Keene (1691-1781) was an English churchman and Bishop of Ely, known for his contributions to ecclesiastical architecture and his efforts in restoring and rebuilding churches in his diocese.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Ralph Keene (1597-1669), an English settler in colonial Virginia. He was among the early colonists who arrived in Virginia in the 1620s and played a role in the establishment of the colony.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Keene who have left their mark throughout history, illustrating the rich and varied background of this English surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keene

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!