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Keith Family History

Keith Surname Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from the lands of Keith in East Lothian. The placename is derived from British Celtic cait- ‘wood’. In the 17th century numerous bearers of this name settled in Ulster.

German: nickname from Middle High German kīt ‘sprout offspring’.

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


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Where is the Keith family from?

You can see how Keith families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Keith family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Keith families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 267 Keith families living in London. This was about 28% of all the recorded Keith's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Keith families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Keith 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 Keith 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 Keith. 14% of Keith men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Keith women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Keith were Solicitor and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Keith | 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
    14%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • Retired
    6%
  • Solicitor
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Keith family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 248,000 census records available for the last name Keith. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Keith census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Keith

Passenger Lists

There are 26,000 immigration records available for the last name Keith. 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 Keith immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 50,000 military records available for the last name Keith. For the veterans among your Keith ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Keith military records

You've only scratched the surface of Keith family history

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What is the average Keith lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Keith life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Keith in 1940 was 32, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Keith

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Keith 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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