The Keegan surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 10,354 people carried this name — #3,450 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 28,500 people counted. That is up 7% from 9,662 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Keegan surname

Borrowed from Irish Mac Aodhagáin (“son of Aidan”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Keegan» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 95 births for the Keegan name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 4,200 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 2 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Dublin, Roscommon, Wicklow, and Leitrim.”

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Leinster 61
Connacht 21
Ulster 8
Munster 5

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 465 people named Keegan live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 346
Córdoba 73
City of Buenos Aires 46

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Scotland’s registers today

Keegan was recorded 12 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1665th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 17. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Keegan in American newspapers,
1902–1923.

Newspaper page from Rawlins Republican carrying the name Keegan
Rawlins Republican 1923-12-06
Newspaper page from The Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter carrying the name Keegan
The Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter 1902-03-07
Newspaper page from The Chicago Citizen carrying the name Keegan
The Chicago Citizen 1908-08-15

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,706 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Keegan in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

20,213 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Keegan. The most, 3,947, date from the 1920s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 9,775
Victoria 2,642
Queensland 2,608
Western Australia 2,428
South Australia 1,996
Tasmania 593
ACT (Canberra) 131
Northern Territory 26

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Keegan.

Who carried it

People named Keegan,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Harry Albert Keegan
    Harry Albert Keegan 1882–1968 · businessperson
  • Bob Keegan
    Bob Keegan 1920–2001 · baseball player
  • George J. Keegan, Jr.
    George J. Keegan, Jr. 1921–1993 · military personnel
  • Rupert Keegan
    Rupert Keegan 1955–2024 · Formula One driver

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped — Harry Albert Keegan: Political Graveyard from Ann Arbor, MI, CC BY 2.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0); Rupert Keegan: Original: Martin Lee from London, UK / Derivative work: Danyele, CC BY-SA 2.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0); the others are in the public domain or CC0 · 97 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Keegan,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States4,615 records

4,615 records of the Keegan name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,868
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 1,140
  • Other U.S. records 1,607
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Thomas P. Keegan

    Born 1904 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Jay Governors Island; driver from Queens County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1944, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Sarah Keegan

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the Anchoria from Glasgow, aged 16; servant. From Portadown, Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Richard Michael Keegan

    Born 1950; from Norfolk, Virginia. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1968 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 4,615 records for Keegan in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia674 records

674 records of the Keegan name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 250
  • Tasmanian Names Index 136
  • Other Australian records 288
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Hugh Keegan

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the John Barry, arriving 1821; ticket of leave 1825. Native of Mon Co.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Eliza Keegan

    Arrived in Queensland in 1875 aboard the Naval Brigade, aged 24.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Bernard Keegan

    Former grazier of Wodonga, Victoria; died 1960.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 674 records for Keegan in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada29 records

29 records of the Keegan name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 11
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 8
  • Other Canadian records 10
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Keegan

    Came to Ontario in 1882 aboard the Sarmatian, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Anastasia Keegan

    Died 1894 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Thomas Keegan

    Died 1969; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.

Showing 3 of 29 records for Keegan in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom22 records

22 records of the Keegan name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 15
  • Stirling Council burial records 3
  • Other British records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Patrick Keegan

    Buried in 1932 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 65.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Joesph Keegan

    Will proved in 1909; of Holyhead, Anglesea.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Keegan

    King's (Liverpool Regiment). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 22 records for Keegan in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand14 records

14 records of the Keegan name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 11
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elsie Muriel Keegan

    Died 1992, aged 92; buried at Akaroa Anglican Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Keegan

    Buried in 1965 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 60.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Frederick Keegan

    Buried in 1945 at Akaroa Anglican Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury, aged 75.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 14 records for Keegan in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Ireland6 records

6 records of the Keegan name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Honor Keegan

    Died 1825, aged 30; buried at Clontuskert Abbey, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Keegan

    Died 2001, aged 69; buried at Ballygar, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Marie Keegan

    Died 2001, aged 46; buried at Toreena, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Keegan in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Keegan name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register John Lawrence Gerard Keegan

    In the population register of Liverpool (Gb); student, born 1911 in Liverpool (Gb).

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Keegan.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Keegan is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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