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

Keenum, 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 Keenum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keenum in America

Keenum is the 23386th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keenum surname appeared 1,088 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 Keenum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keenum 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 Keenum

The surname KEENUM is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name such as Keenum or Keenam. The earliest records of the name can be found in Hampshire and Somerset, suggesting these areas may have been the original home of the KEENUM family.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KEENUM name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Cheneum". This entry refers to a landowner in Somerset. The name likely evolved from this older spelling over the centuries.

By the 13th century, the KEENUM name had spread to other parts of England. In 1273, a Roger de Kenenum is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. This variant spelling provides insight into the potential pronunciation of the name during this time period.

The KEENUM surname may also have connections to the village of Keynham in Somerset. This place name appears to share a similar etymology, potentially derived from the Old English words "cyne" (royal) and "ham" (homestead or village).

Notable individuals with the KEENUM surname include John Keenum, a 16th-century English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bridport in 1563. Another early figure was William Keenum, born in 1592 in Somerset, who was a prominent merchant and landowner.

In the 18th century, Thomas Keenum (1712-1786) was a respected clergyman and author from Gloucestershire. His works included a treatise on the Book of Revelation and a collection of sermons.

Moving into the 19th century, Mary Ann Keenum (1825-1899) was a notable educator and advocate for women's rights in the United States. She founded several schools and fought for equal educational opportunities for women.

Finally, in the 20th century, Charles Keenum (1917-2002) was a distinguished American businessman and philanthropist. He founded a successful construction company and became known for his generous donations to various educational and charitable causes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keenum

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

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

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

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