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Keys Family History

Keys Name Meaning

English Irish and Scottish: variant of Keyes .

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


Similar surnames: Heys, Keyt, Keyes, Key, Keays, Kees, Kean, Boys, Keal, Mews

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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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 1911 there were 220 Keys families living in Ontario. This was about 59% of all the recorded Keys's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Keys families in 1911.
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 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Keys. 50% of Keys men worked as a Farmer and 40% of Keys women worked as a Student. Some less common occupations for Americans named Keys were Laborer and Housewife. .

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 1921

  • Farmer
    50%
  • Labourer
    15%
  • Carpenter
    9%
  • Laborer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    40%
  • Dressmaker
    20%
  • Stenographer
    20%
  • Housewife
    20%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

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 Canadian 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 Canada, 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

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