The Keeling surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 8,938 people carried this name — #3,975 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 33,000 people counted. That is up 10% from 8,100 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Keeling surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the keeling’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Walter de Kelin, Huntingdonshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Keeling, Keelinge and Keelin.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 441 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Keeling was found among the farmers of Staffordshire: 18 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Staffordshire 18

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

39 families named Keeling, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 201 people lived in those households, 5.2 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Virginia 30
North Carolina 4
New York 2
Connecticut 1
Maryland 1
South Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 248 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Keeling in American newspapers,
1886–1916.

Newspaper page from The Hattiesburg News carrying the name Keeling
The Hattiesburg News 1916-12-11
Newspaper page from Fairhaven Herald carrying the name Keeling
Fairhaven Herald 1893-01-31
Newspaper page from The Daily Telegraph carrying the name Keeling
The Daily Telegraph 1886-04-23

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 441,193 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Keeling in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

9,045 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Keeling. The most, 2,423, 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 South Australia, at 3.2 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 3,287
New South Wales 1,854
Queensland 1,579
Tasmania 956
Victoria 728
Western Australia 579
ACT (Canberra) 23
Northern Territory 20

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

Who carried it

People named Keeling,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Betty Keeling d. 1924
  • Edith Winifred Keeling d. 1978
  • George Keeling d. 1942
  • Thomas Keeling 1550–1617 · tanner
  • William Keeling 1578–1620 · sea captain
  • John Keeling 1586–1649 · lawyer

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Keeling,
in the records of 6 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 States602 records

602 records of the Keeling name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 281
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 108
  • Other U.S. records 213
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Arnold E. Keeling

    Born 1921 in West Virginia. Enlisted 1942 at Huntington; nursery from Kanawha County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at Keeling Cemetery, Blue Creek, West Virginia.

    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 Emma Keeling

    Arrived at New York in 1883 aboard the Rhynland from Antwerp, aged 61; farmer. From Germany; bound for New York.

    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 Larry Dewayne Keeling

    Born 1948; from Pioneer Point, California. U.S. Marine Corps, m60a1 tank crewman; killed in action 1969 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam.

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

Showing 3 of 602 records for Keeling in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). 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).

Australia226 records

226 records of the Keeling name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 107
  • Tasmanian Names Index 75
  • Other Australian records 44
  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 John Arthur Keeling

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lady Montagu, sailing from Plymouth in 1852. Native of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Alfred John Keeling

    Arrived in Victoria in 1886 aboard the Liguria, aged 26; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Ernest Keeling

    Retired of Lake Bolac, Victoria; died 1978.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 226 records for Keeling 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). 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).

Canada76 records

76 records of the Keeling name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 53
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 9
  • Other Canadian records 14
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Pindar Keeling

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Clinton, bound for Annapolis and St Johns, aged 29.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Stella Florence Keeling

    Buried in 1996 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 85.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Victor Robert Keeling

    Died in service in 1918.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 76 records for Keeling 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. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Netherlands40 records

40 records of the Keeling name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 15
  • Dutch population registers 14
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 11
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Johannes Willem Keeling

    Born 1832 in Rotterdam. Died 1863 in Rotterdam, aged 30.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Maria Johanna Keeling

    Born 1834 in Rotterdam. Married in 1880 in Rotterdam. Died 1898 in Rotterdam, aged 63.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Anna Maria Keeling

    Buried in 1809 in Utrecht.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 40 records for Keeling in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom24 records

24 records of the Keeling name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 18
  • Welsh wills index cards 3
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Nancy Keeling

    Buried in 1810 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 68.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. 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 Caroline Keeling

    Will proved in 1892; of Llandudno, Carnarvon.

    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 S. Keeling

    South Lancashire 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 24 records for Keeling in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · 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 Zealand1 record

1 record of the Keeling name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Brian Keeling

    Died 1995, aged 76; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City 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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Keeling.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Keeling 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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