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Keary Family History

Keary Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Ciardha (from a personal name based on ciar ‘black’) sometimes Anglicized as Carey. Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Giolla Chéire a widespread name meaning ‘son of Giolla Céire’ or ‘the servant of Saint Ciar.’

Ciar ‘dusky’ was the name of a female saint of Kilkeary (Cill Chéire ‘Ciar's church’) Tipperary. A longer form of the surname was Kilkeary.

See also Carr.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Keary family from?

You can see how Keary families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Keary family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Keary families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 48 Keary families living in Lancashire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Keary's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Keary families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Keary 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 Keary ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Keary. 34% of Keary men worked as a Builders Labourer and 84% of Keary women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Keary were Retired and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Keary | 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

  • Builders Labourer
    34%
  • General Labourer
    34%
  • Retired
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    84%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Shop Assistant Gracer
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%

What Keary family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Keary. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Keary census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Keary

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Keary. 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 Keary immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Keary. For the veterans among your Keary ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Keary military records

You've only scratched the surface of Keary family history

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What is the average Keary lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Keary life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Keary in 1952 was 26, and 88 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Keary

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Keary 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.

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