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

Keim, 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 Keim surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keim in America

Keim is the 4565th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keim surname appeared 7,769 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 Keim.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keim 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 Keim

The surname KEIM is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "keim," which means "sprout" or "seed," suggesting that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a field or engaged in agricultural activities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KEIM surname can be found in the German town of Kaiserslautern, where a certain Johannes Keim was mentioned in a historical document dated 1295. This document, which detailed a land transaction, provides valuable insight into the prevalence of the name in the region during that time.

In the 16th century, the KEIM surname appeared in various other German regions, including Bavaria and Saxony. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled differently, such as "Keim," "Keym," or "Keimb," reflecting the variations in regional dialects and scribal practices.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the KEIM surname. One such figure is Johann Wilhelm Keim (1711-1784), a German theologian and author who served as a professor at the University of Giessen. Another prominent bearer of the name was Johann Georg Keim (1763-1824), a German philosopher and educator who wrote extensively on education and moral philosophy.

In the 19th century, the KEIM surname gained recognition in the United States, likely due to German immigration. One notable American with this surname was John Keim (1811-1891), a businessman and politician from Pennsylvania who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Another individual of note is Johann Keim (1840-1919), a German-born American who became a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Ohio. He founded the successful Keim Milling Company and was known for his charitable contributions to educational institutions and community organizations.

The KEIM surname has also been associated with several places throughout history. For instance, the town of Keim in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, is believed to have derived its name from the surname. Additionally, there are several villages and hamlets in Germany with names such as Keimbach and Keimhausen, which may have connections to the KEIM surname.

While the KEIM surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and other countries with significant German immigration. Throughout its history, the name has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from scholars and philosophers to businessmen and politicians.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keim

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!