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

Keith, 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 Keith surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keith in America

Keith is the 718th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keith surname appeared 48,487 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 16 people would have the surname Keith.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keith 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 Keith

The surname Keith originates from the Scottish Borders region, tracing its roots back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Cumbric term 'ced,' meaning a wood or forest, combined with the Old English word 'hith,' meaning a haven or landing place. This suggests that the name likely originated from a location near a wooded area or a safe harbor.

The earliest recorded instance of the Keith surname appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One notable entry is Robert de Kethe, a landowner from the village of Keith in East Lothian, Scotland.

During the 13th century, the Keith family established themselves as a prominent Scottish clan, with their ancestral seat located at the Keith Marischal estate in East Lothian. This estate was granted to them by King Robert the Bruce in recognition of their loyalty and military service during the Scottish Wars of Independence.

In the 14th century, Sir Robert Keith, born around 1305, played a significant role in Scottish history. He served as the Great Marischal of Scotland, a hereditary position responsible for the organization and command of the Scottish armies. Sir Robert Keith was also a close confidant of King David II and accompanied him into exile in France.

Another notable figure bearing the Keith surname was George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal (1553-1623). He was a prominent Scottish nobleman and statesman who served as the Lord Privy Seal of Scotland and played a crucial role in the negotiations leading to the Union of the Crowns in 1603, which united the kingdoms of Scotland and England under King James VI of Scotland (James I of England).

In the 17th century, James Keith (1696-1758) was a Scottish soldier and Prussian field marshal who served under King Frederick the Great of Prussia. He distinguished himself in several battles during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War, earning the nickname "The Prussian Keith."

Over the centuries, variations of the Keith surname emerged, including Keyth, Keath, and Keithe. These variants were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in historical records. Additionally, the name has been associated with several place names, such as Keith in Banffshire, Scotland, and Keith in Moray, Scotland, further cementing its Scottish heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keith

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

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

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

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