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Keen Family History

Keen Name Meaning

English: from the Middle English personal name Kene a short form of Old English names formed with either Cēn- (from cēn ‘keen’) or Cyne- (from cyne- combining form of cynn ‘kin family’). English: nickname from Middle English kene ‘wise brave proud keen’. Dutch and North German: from a pet form of the personal name Christianus (see Christian ). Americanized form of German Kühn (see Kuehn ).

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


Similar surnames: Keep, Keel, Ken, Kees, Kern, Been, Geen, Keene, Keehn, Bean

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Keen family from?

You can see how Keen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Keen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Keen families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 93 Keen families living in Ontario. This was about 57% of all the recorded Keen's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Keen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Keen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Keen ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Keen. 34% of Keen men worked as a Farmer and 34% of Keen women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Keen were Laborer and Operator. .

View Census Data for Keen | 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
    34%
  • Labourer
    18%
  • Carpenter
    9%
  • Laborer
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    34%
  • Servant
    23%
  • Dressmaker
    23%
  • Operator
    23%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Keen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 242,000 census records available for the last name Keen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Keen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Keen

Passenger Lists

There are 16,000 immigration records available for the last name Keen. 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 Keen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 22,000 military records available for the last name Keen. For the veterans among your Keen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Keen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Keen family history

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What is the average Keen lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Keen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Keen in 1942 was 63, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Keen

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Keen family tree

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