Contents [hide]

Keene History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Keene History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

The surname Keene originally appeared in Gaelic as "O Cathain" or "Mac Cathain."

Early Origins of the Keene family

The surname Keene was first found in County Londonderry (Irish: Doire), a Northern Irish county also known as Derry, in the province of Ulster. At one time, the areas was named O'Cahan Country.

Early History of the Keene family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Keene research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1196, 1617, 1631, 1641, 1644, 1680, 1697, 1709, 1714, 1730, 1754, 1757, 1781 and 1819 are included under the topic Early Keene History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Keene Spelling Variations

A name was often recorded during the Middle Ages under several different spelling variations during the life of its bearer because literacy was rare there was no real push to clearly define any of the languages found in the British Isles at that time. Variations found of the name Keene include Keane, Kane, Kayne, Keaney, Keny, Keyne, O'Kane, O'Keane, O'Cahan, Cahan, Kean, O'Cain, McCloskey, McCluskey, McClaskey and many more.

Early Notables of the Keene family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was

Sir Benjamin Keene (1697-1757), was an English diplomatist, born at King's Lynn, Norfolk, and was the eldest son of Charles Keene, merchant (alderman, and in 1714 mayor, of King's Lynn). The family ha...

Keene Ranking

In the United States, the name Keene is the 1,778^th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 1

Keene migration to the United States +

Death and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name Keene:

Keene Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Abraham Keene, who landed in Virginia in 1637 2
Elizabeth Keene, who arrived aboard the ship "Confidence" in 1638 in New England and Boston stated 2
John Keene, aged 17, who arrived aboard the ship "Confidence" in 1638 in New England and Boston stated, found in Massachusetts. 2
Josias Keene, who arrived aboard the ship "Confidence" in 1638 in New England and Boston stated 2
Martha Keene, who arrived aboard the ship "Confidence" in 1638 in New England and Boston stated. 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Keene Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jacob Keene, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1755 2

Keene Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Peter Keene, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 2
Mr. Charles Keene, (b. 1867), aged 25, Cornish teamster travelling aboard the ship "Alaska" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th October 1892 en route to Pennsylvania, USA 3

Keene Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. William Keene, (b. 1855), aged 50, American labourer travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Sacramento, California, USA 3

Keene migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Keene Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mary Keene, who arrived in Quebec in 1826

Keene migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Keene Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. George Keene, British Convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for life, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 11th August 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
Mr. Daniel Keene, Irish convict who was convicted in Limerick, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Blenheim" on 19th May 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1839 shortly after arriving 5
George Keene, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asiatic" in 1849 6
Winnifred Keene, aged 22, a house servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Sir Edward Parry" 7

Keene migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Keene Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Keene, aged 21, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Soukar" in 1874
M. Keene, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1878

Contemporary Notables of the name Keene (post 1700) +

Donald Lawrence Keene (1922-2019), American-born, Japanese scholar, historian, teacher, writer and translator of Japanese literature, University Professor Emeritus and Shincho Professor Emeritus of Japanese Literature at Columbia University
Tommy Keene (1958-2017), American singer-songwriter
Christopher Keene (1946-1995), American conductor
Tom Keene (1896-1963), born George Duryea, an American actor, known primarily for his work on Westerns
David A. Keene (b. 1945), American President of the National Rifle Association
Elodie Keene (b. 1949), American three-time Primetime Emmy Award winning film/television director, producer and editor
Brian Keene (b. 1967), American two-time Bram Stoker Award winning author, primarily of horror, crime fiction, and comic books
Carolyn Keene, American pseudonym of various authors of the Nancy Drew mystery stories
James Robert Keene (1838-1913), English-born, American Wall Street stockbroker and a major Thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder
Foxhall Parker Keene (1867-1941), American Thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder, Olympic gold medalist in polo
... (Another 26 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Keene Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Felis demulcta mitis
Motto Translation: A stroked cat is gentle.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blenheim
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The ASIATIC 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Asiatic.htm
South Australian Register Monday 27th March 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Sir Edward Parry 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/siredwardparry1854.shtml