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Keen Family History

Keen Surname Meaning

English: from the Middle English personal name Kene a short form of Old English names formed with either Cēn- (from cēn ‘keen’) or Cyne- (from cyne- combining form of cynn ‘kin family’).

English: nickname from Middle English kene ‘wise brave proud keen’.

Dutch and North German: from a pet form of the personal name Christianus (see Christian).

Americanized form of German Kühn (see Kuehn).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Keen family from?

You can see how Keen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Keen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Keen families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,295 Keen families living in London. This was about 22% of all the recorded Keen's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Keen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Keen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Keen ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Keen. 7% of Keen men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Keen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Keen were Incapacitated and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Keen | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    5%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%

What Keen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 242,000 census records available for the last name Keen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Keen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Keen

Passenger Lists

There are 16,000 immigration records available for the last name Keen. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Keen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 22,000 military records available for the last name Keen. For the veterans among your Keen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Keen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Keen family history

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What is the average Keen lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Keen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Keen in 1942 was 63, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Keen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Keen ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Keen family tree

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