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Keene Family History

Keene Surname Meaning

English (London): variant of Keen. Americanized form of German Kühne (see Kuehn).

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


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Where is the Keene family from?

You can see how Keene families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Keene family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Keene families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 412 Keene families living in London. This was about 25% of all the recorded Keene's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Keene families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Keene 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 Keene 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 Keene. 8% of Keene men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Keene women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Keene were House Painter and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Keene | 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
    8%
  • Farmer
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • House Painter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Keene family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 104,000 census records available for the last name Keene. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Keene census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Keene

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Keene. 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 Keene immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 18,000 military records available for the last name Keene. For the veterans among your Keene ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Keene military records

You've only scratched the surface of Keene family history

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What is the average Keene lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Keene life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Keene in 1942 was 33, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Keene

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Keene 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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