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Keeling Family History

Keeling Name Meaning

English: nickname from Middle English keling kiling (probably of Old Norse origin) ‘young codfish’ perhaps for a fishmonger or for someone with staring eyes. Alternatively from an unrecorded Middle English personal name Kel(l)ing which may be transferred use of the nickname keling. The name has been established in Ireland since the 17th century. It is not to be confused with Irish Keelan . Americanized form of German Kühling a patronymic from Colo probably a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name meaning ‘helmet’. English: variant of Killing a habitational name from Kelling (Norfolk) or Nunkeeling (East Yorkshire) both meaning ‘(the place of) the people of a man called Cylla’ from an Old English personal name Cylla + the Old English groupname suffix -ingas. Irish and Scottish: variant of Killen .

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


Similar surnames: Teeling, Peeling, Emling, Helling, Welling, Keesling, Deering

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Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Keeling family from?

You can see how Keeling families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Keeling family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Keeling families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 26 Keeling families living in Virginia. This was about 37% of all the recorded Keeling's in USA. Virginia had the highest population of Keeling families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Keeling surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Keeling ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Keeling. 21% of Keeling men worked as a Laborer and 11% of Keeling women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Keeling were Truck Driver and Waitress. .

View Census Data for Keeling | 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 1940

  • Laborer
    21%
  • Farmer
    20%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    11%
  • Housekeeper
    8%
  • Seamstress
    8%
  • Waitress
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Keeling family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 68,000 census records available for the last name Keeling. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Keeling census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Keeling

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Keeling. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Keeling. For the veterans among your Keeling ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Keeling lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Keeling life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Keeling in 1942 was 31, and 66 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Keeling

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