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

Keep, 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 Keep surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keep in America

Keep is the 26671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keep surname appeared 913 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 Keep.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keep 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 Keep

The surname KEEP is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "cæpe" meaning "keeper" or "watchman." It emerged as an occupational surname during the medieval period, referring to individuals responsible for guarding castles, prisons, or other secured premises.

The name KEEP can be traced back to the 11th century in England, with early recorded instances found in the Domesday Book of 1086. This invaluable record documented landowners and their tenants in various counties across England.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "le Kepe," "le Keper," and "le Cepere" in official records and medieval manuscripts. These variations reflect the evolving spelling conventions of the time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname KEEP was Robert le Kepe, who lived in Gloucestershire in the late 12th century. Another notable bearer of the name was William le Cepere, mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Yorkshire in 1212.

The name KEEP is also associated with some place names in England, such as Keepers Hill in Buckinghamshire and Keepers Lodge in Hampshire. These locations may have derived their names from individuals with the surname KEEP who lived or worked in those areas.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname KEEP. One prominent figure was Sir Henry Keep (1563-1641), an English judge and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. Another was John Keep (1781-1857), an English painter known for his landscape and coastal scenes.

In the literary world, Samuel P. Keep (1802-1870) was an American writer and historian who authored works on the history of Connecticut. Henry Churchill Keep (1848-1917) was a prominent American author and educator who served as the President of Yale-Tsinghua College in China.

Robert Porter Keep (1844-1904) was a renowned American naturalist and educator who made significant contributions to the study of shells and mollusks. He served as the curator of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname KEEP who have left their mark on history across various fields, showcasing the rich heritage and diverse backgrounds associated with this English occupational surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keep

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

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

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

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