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Keys Family History

Keys Surname Meaning

English Irish and Scottish: variant of Keyes.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Keys family from?

You can see how Keys families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Keys family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Keys families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 376 Keys families living in London. This was about 29% of all the recorded Keys's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Keys families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Keys 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 Keys 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 Keys. 15% of Keys men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Keys women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Keys were Carpenter and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Keys | 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
    15%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • Incapacitated
    6%
  • Carpenter
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%

What Keys family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 126,000 census records available for the last name Keys. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Keys census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Keys

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Keys. 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 Keys immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Keys military records

You've only scratched the surface of Keys family history

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What is the average Keys lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Keys life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1942. The average life expectancy for Keys in 1942 was 100, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Keys

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Keys 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 Keys family tree

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