2000
#84,310
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 207
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Very Rare Last name
Keighley
A locality surname derived from the town of Keighley in West Yorkshire, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 399 Americans carry the last name Keighley. That puts it at #62,198 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 859,033 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Keighley surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Keighley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
399
1 in 859,033
Census rank
#62,198
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
348
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 348 bearers of the surname Keighley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 62198th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Keighley, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Keighley
The surname Keighley is an English locational name derived from the town of Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "cēgel" meaning "cockerel" and "lēah" meaning "meadow or clearing," suggesting the name may have referred to a meadow where cockerels were found or raised.
The earliest recorded mention of the name Keighley dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cinghelai." This indicates the name's long-standing presence in the region and its evolution over time.
During the medieval period, the name Keighley was associated with various individuals from the town and surrounding areas. One notable example is John de Keighley, a 14th-century landowner and Lord of the Manor of Keighley, whose family held significant influence in the region.
As people migrated from Keighley to other parts of England and beyond, the surname spread and took on different spellings, such as Keighly, Keigheley, and Kighley. This variation in spelling was common before standardized spelling practices were established.
In the 16th century, records show a William Keighley born in 1520 in Yorkshire, who was a prominent merchant and landowner. Another noteworthy figure was Thomas Keighley (1692-1772), an English clergyman and author who published several theological works.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Keighley became more widespread, with bearers found in various parts of England. One such individual was John Keighley (1703-1786), a successful businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Liverpool.
In the 19th century, the Keighley surname gained further recognition with the rise of industrialists and entrepreneurs. Henry Keighley (1806-1876) was a prominent businessman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bradford, while his brother, Thomas Keighley (1808-1876), was a successful textile manufacturer and inventor.
Throughout history, the surname Keighley has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from landowners and clergymen to businessmen and politicians, reflecting the name's enduring presence in English society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Keighley
Among Census respondents with the surname Keighley, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Keighley bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Keighley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.3% · 328
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 10
- Two or more races1.4% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 3
- Black or African American0.3% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Keighley
Keighley appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#77,012
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 249
+42 bearers (+20.3%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 7,298 places
2020
#62,198
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 348
+99 bearers (+39.8%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Up 14,814 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #84,310 | 207 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #77,012 | 249 | 0.08 | +42 bearers (+20.3%) | Up 7,298 places |
| 2020 | #62,198 | 348 | 0.12 | +99 bearers (+39.8%) | Up 14,814 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Keighley surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #77,012 | #62,198 | 19.2% |
| Count | 249 | 348 | 39.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.12 | 45.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Keighley bearers went from 249 to 348 (+39.8% change). The surname moved up 14,814 positions in the national ranking, going from #77,012 to #62,198.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Keighley
FAQ
Keighley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Keighley?
Name Census estimates that about 399 living Americans carry the surname Keighley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 859,033 residents.
How common is Keighley?
Keighley ranks #62,198 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 348 people with the surname Keighley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (399), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.12 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Keighley.
Has Keighley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Keighley went from 249 recorded bearers to 348. That is an increase of 99 (+39.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #77,012 to #62,198.
What does the Census say about the background of Keighley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Keighley, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (1.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Keighley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (328 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Keighley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.3%), Hispanic (2.9%), Two or More Races (1.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Keighley (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Keighley mean?
A locality surname derived from the town of Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Keighley (0.12 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Keighley?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.