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

Kehoe, 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 Kehoe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kehoe in America

Kehoe is the 4602nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kehoe surname appeared 7,708 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Kehoe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kehoe 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 Kehoe

The surname Kehoe originated in Ireland and is a derivative of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Céadóga. This surname is believed to have emerged in the 10th or 11th century. It is an anglicized form of the name meaning "descendant of Céadóg," which was initially a personal name derived from the Old Irish words "céad," meaning "hundred," and "óg," meaning "young."

The Kehoe family's ancestral homeland was in the ancient territory of Leix, located in what is now County Laois in the Irish midlands. This area was once part of the Kingdom of Leinster, where the Kehoe clan held significant influence. The earliest recorded mention of the name can be traced back to the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled in the 17th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Kehoe surname was Tadhg Ó Céadóga, a prominent chieftain who lived in the 13th century. He is mentioned in various medieval Irish manuscripts and is believed to have played a crucial role in the political landscape of Leix during that era.

In the 16th century, the Kehoe family was among the prominent Gaelic clans that resisted the English conquest of Ireland. During this turbulent period, many Kehoes were dispossessed of their lands and forced to seek refuge in other parts of the country. This led to the dispersal of the name throughout Ireland.

Another notable figure in the history of the Kehoe surname was Father James Kehoe (1609-1653), a Catholic priest who was executed during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland for his refusal to renounce his faith. He is remembered as a martyr and is revered by the Catholic Church.

In the 18th century, Luke Kehoe (1725-1803) was a prominent merchant and landowner in County Wexford. He played a significant role in the economic development of the region and was known for his philanthropic efforts.

During the 19th century, the Kehoe family produced several notable figures, including Michael Kehoe (1805-1874), a lawyer and politician who served as a member of the British Parliament for County Wexford, and John Kehoe (1838-1918), a Catholic priest and educator who founded several schools in Ireland.

The name Kehoe has also been found in various spellings throughout history, such as Keogh, Keho, and Keeho, reflecting the regional variations and anglicizations of the original Irish name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kehoe

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

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

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

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