Key Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Key Name Meaning: Thought to have originated from a number of different origins, may have came from the Anglo-Saxon word 'Coeg' meaning 'key',may have also been taken from the Welsh word 'cai' meaning 'corn' or from the French 'Kay(e)' meaning quay.

Thought to have derived from a number of different origins, may have been an occupational name for someone who looked after keys for a toll gate for rxample or someone who made keys, may have also been used to describe someone who lived by a quay or someone associated with corn.

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Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Key Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Key family

Profession Census Frequency
Living On Own Means 70
General Labourer 54
Farmer 48
General Servant Domestic 33
Scholar 33
Dress Maker 25
Domestic Servant 22
Carpenter 19
Cook Domestic 19
Dressmaker 19
House Maid Domestic 16
Agricultural Labourer 15
House Keeper Domestic 14
Butcher 14
Housemaid Domestic 13
Laundress Wash 13
Tailor 12
Coal Hewer 12
Gardener Domestic 12
Coal Miner Hewer 12
House Keeper 11
Cotton Weaver 11
Coal Miner C Hewer 11
Grocer Assistant 11
Coal Miner 9

Key Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Kay 67% 85,028
2 Key 100% 32,408
3 Kaye 50% 27,763
4 Oakey 60% 5,180
5 Keay 75% 4,721
6 Okey 75% 1,867
7 Quay 25% 570
8 Keey 75% 281
9 Keye 75% 163
10 Kie 33% 158
11 Kye 33% 158
12 Kea 67% 124

Did you know?

The surname Key is the 2nd most popular variant of Kay.

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