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

Keran, 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 Keran surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keran in America

Keran is the 110825th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keran surname appeared 159 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 Keran.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keran 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 Keran

The surname Keran is believed to have originated in Ireland, derived from the Gaelic name "O'Ciarain" or "O'Ceirin." It is thought to have emerged in the early medieval period, around the 6th or 7th century AD. The name is associated with counties such as Roscommon, Sligo, and Mayo in the northwestern region of Ireland.

The Keran surname is believed to be derived from the old Irish word "ciar," meaning "dark" or "black," potentially referring to a person's physical appearance or complexion. The name may have been given as a descriptive nickname or patronymic, indicating descent from an ancestor with that distinguishing feature.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1164, the death of Maelisa O'Ciarain, an Irish ecclesiastic, is mentioned. This suggests the name was in use during that time period.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Donatus Keran served as the Bishop of Raphoe in County Donegal, Ireland, from 1346 to 1356. This is an early recorded instance of the anglicized spelling of the surname.

The Keran surname can also be found in historical records from other parts of Ireland, such as County Cork. In the 16th century, a Dermot Keran is mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, as a member of the MacCarthy Reagh clan.

In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the Keran surname was Sir John Keran, a high-ranking officer in the Irish Confederate Wars. He served as the Governor of County Wexford and played a significant role in the conflict between the Irish Confederate Catholics and the forces of the English Parliament.

Another prominent figure with the Keran surname was Sir John Keran, an Irish politician and landowner who lived in the 18th century. He served as a Member of Parliament for County Sligo and was known for his influential role in local affairs.

While the surname Keran is primarily associated with Ireland, it has also been found in other parts of the world due to Irish emigration and diaspora. However, the earliest recorded instances and the origins of the name can be traced back to medieval Ireland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keran

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

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

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

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