History of your Surname
Get access to Key family records.Start a free trial

Key Family History

Key Name Meaning

English Irish and German: variant of Kay . Dutch: variant archaic or Americanized of Keij from the personal name Kei(je) possibly a vernacular form of Cornelius Nicolas or Gerrit (see Gerrits ). Compare De Kay . Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 祁 see Qi

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


Similar surnames: Kay, Ney, Rey, Dey, Vey, Fey, Kee, Ken, Mey, Akey

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Key family from?

You can see how Key families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Key family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Key families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 48 Key families living in Tennessee. This was about 17% of all the recorded Key's in USA. Tennessee had the highest population of Key families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Key surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Key ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Key. 24% of Key men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Key women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Key were Salesman and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Key | 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

  • Farmer
    24%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Farm Laborer
    4%
  • Salesman
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Housewife
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Key family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 184,000 census records available for the last name Key. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Key census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Key

Passenger Lists

There are 14,000 immigration records available for the last name Key. 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 Key immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 39,000 military records available for the last name Key. For the veterans among your Key ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Key military records

You've only scratched the surface of Key family history

Discover More

What is the average Key lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Key life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Key in 1943 was 30, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Key

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Key family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Key last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial