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

Keeve, 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 Keeve surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keeve in America

Keeve is the 127494th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keeve surname appeared 134 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 Keeve.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keeve 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 Keeve

The surname KEEVE originates from Ireland and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "caomh," which means gentle or kind. The name likely originated in County Cork, where it was first recorded in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KEEVE appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, where a certain Willelmus Keve is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already spread to England by the late 12th century, possibly due to the Norman invasion of Ireland.

In the 14th century, the name KEEVE can be found in the Exchequer Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332 for Worcestershire, where a John Keve is listed as a taxpayer. This record provides evidence of the name's continued presence in England during the Middle Ages.

The KEEVE surname is also associated with several notable historical figures. In the late 16th century, Sir John Keeve (1545-1610) was a prominent English soldier and diplomat who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He played a crucial role in the Tudor conquest of Ireland and was later appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland.

Another famous bearer of the KEEVE name was Captain Patrick Keeve (1670-1735), an Irish naval officer who served in the British Royal Navy during the early 18th century. He is best known for his participation in the War of the Spanish Succession and the capture of several Spanish galleons.

In the literary world, the poet and dramatist John Keeve (1681-1743) was a notable figure. Born in Dublin, he wrote several plays and poems that were widely praised during his lifetime, though his works have since fallen into obscurity.

The KEEVE surname has also been associated with several places in Ireland, such as Keevemount in County Cork and Keevetown in County Louth. These place names likely derive from individuals or families bearing the KEEVE surname who once lived or held land in those areas.

One of the earliest recorded spellings of the name is "Keve," which appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This variant spelling suggests that the name may have been introduced to England shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keeve

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

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

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

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