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Keane Family History

Keane Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Catháin ‘descendant of Cathán’ a personal name from a diminutive of cath ‘battle’. Compare Kane.

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Céin ‘descendant of Cian’ a personal name meaning ‘distant long’. Compare Kane.

Americanized form of German Kühn(e) (see Kuehn).

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Keane family from?

You can see how Keane families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Keane family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Keane families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 63 Keane families living in Ontario. This was about 47% of all the recorded Keane's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Keane families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Keane 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 Keane ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Waitress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Keane. 39% of Keane men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Keane women worked as a Waitress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Keane were Laborer and Nurse.

View Census Data for Keane | 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
    39%
  • Labourer
    20%
  • Salesman
    17%
  • Laborer
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Waitress
    25%
  • Book Keeper
    25%
  • Housekeeper
    25%
  • Nurse
    25%

What Keane family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 101,000 census records available for the last name Keane. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Keane census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Keane

Passenger Lists

There are 31,000 immigration records available for the last name Keane. 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 Keane immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Keane. For the veterans among your Keane ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Keane military records

You've only scratched the surface of Keane family history

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What is the average Keane lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Keane life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Keane in 1943 was 48, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Keane

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Keane 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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