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Keary Family History

Keary Name Meaning

Irish:: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Ciardha (from a personal name based on ciar ‘black’) sometimes Anglicized as Carey . Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Giolla Chéire a widespread name meaning ‘son of Giolla Céire’ or ‘the servant of Saint Ciar’. Ciar ‘dusky’ was the name of a female saint of Kilkeary (Cill Chéire ‘Ciar's church’) Tipperary. A longer form of the surname was Kilkeary. See also Carr .

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


Similar surnames: Keady, Geary, Beary, Neary, Merry, Terry, Kearn, Leary, Kary, Lear

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Keary family from?

You can see how Keary families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Keary family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Keary families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 3 Keary families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 60% of all the recorded Keary's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Keary families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Keary 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 Keary ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Keary. 24% of Keary men worked as a Laborer and 26% of Keary women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Keary were Farmer and Maid. .

View Census Data for Keary | 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
    24%
  • Salesman
    19%
  • Clerk
    19%
  • Farmer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    26%
  • Housewife
    17%
  • Cashier
    7%
  • Maid
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Keary family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Keary. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Keary census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Keary

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Keary. 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.

View all Keary immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Keary. For the veterans among your Keary ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Keary military records

You've only scratched the surface of Keary family history

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What is the average Keary lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Keary life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Keary in 1952 was 26, and 88 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Keary

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