History of your Surname
Get access to Keay family records.Start a free trial

Keay Family History

Keay Name Meaning

English Irish (Wicklow) and Scottish: variant of Kay .

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


Similar surnames: Kay, Key, Keays, Keal, Kea, Peay, Kean, Reay, Kear, Seay

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Keay family from?

You can see how Keay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Keay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Keay families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 223 Keay families living in Staffordshire. This was about 29% of all the recorded Keay's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Keay families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Keay surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Keay ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Keay. 9% of Keay men worked as an Incapacitated and 72% of Keay women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Keay were Aircraft Fitter and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Keay | 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

  • Incapacitated
    9%
  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Farm Labourer
    6%
  • Aircraft Fitter
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Keay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Keay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Keay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Keay

Passenger Lists

There are 49,000 immigration records available for the last name Keay. 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 Keay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Keay. For the veterans among your Keay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Keay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Keay family history

Discover More

What is the average Keay lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Keay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Keay in 1951 was 60, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Keay

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Keay family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Keay last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial