2000
#2,545
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,046
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.84
Uncommon Last name
Keener
An occupational surname referring to a person who sharpens or maintains blades, or one who is enthusiastic and eager.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,597 Americans carry the last name Keener. That puts it at #2,756 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 23,481 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Keener surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
15K
1 in 23,481
Census rank
#2,756
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,729 bearers of the surname Keener in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2756th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Keener, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Black (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Keener
The surname Keener has its origins in Germany, where it is believed to have emerged in the 14th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "küene," which means "bold" or "brave." This suggests that the name may have originally been given to someone who exhibited these qualities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Keener is found in the town of Kühndorf, now known as Chvalšiny, in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. This area was part of the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, and it is likely that the name originated here before spreading to other parts of Germany.
The Keener surname is also thought to be related to the German word "kühn," which means "daring" or "courageous." This further reinforces the idea that the name was initially bestowed upon individuals who displayed bravery or boldness in their actions.
In the 15th century, a man named Hans Keener was recorded as a resident of the city of Nuremberg, which was a prominent center of trade and culture in the Holy Roman Empire. This early mention of the name in a major city suggests that the Keener family may have been involved in commerce or other influential pursuits.
One notable figure with the surname Keener was Johann Keener, a German theologian and reformer who lived from 1505 to 1559. He was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and worked alongside Martin Luther in promoting the spread of Lutheran teachings.
Another individual of note was the German painter and engraver Friedrich Keener, who was born in 1782 and died in 1860. He was known for his intricate landscapes and cityscapes, and his works are still highly regarded in the art world today.
In the 19th century, the Keener surname also appeared in England, likely due to migration from Germany. One example is John Keener, an English cricketer who played for the Marylebone Cricket Club between 1815 and 1835.
While the name Keener is most commonly associated with Germany, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and Switzerland. This suggests that the name may have spread beyond its original German roots over the centuries.
Overall, the surname Keener has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval Germany, where it was likely associated with qualities of bravery and boldness. Its presence in various regions and its association with notable individuals throughout history reflect the widespread influence of this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Keener
Among Census respondents with the surname Keener, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Black (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Keener bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Keener surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 11,212
- Black or African American4.0% · 510
- Two or more races3.4% · 435
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 352
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 137
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 83
Timeline
Historical Census data for Keener
Keener appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,633
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,687
+641 bearers (+4.9%)
Per 100,000 4.64
Rank movement Down 88 places
2020
#2,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,729
-958 bearers (-7.0%)
Per 100,000 4.26
Rank movement Down 123 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,545 | 13,046 | 4.84 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,633 | 13,687 | 4.64 | +641 bearers (+4.9%) | Down 88 places |
| 2020 | #2,756 | 12,729 | 4.26 | -958 bearers (-7.0%) | Down 123 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Keener surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,633 | #2,756 | -4.7% |
| Count | 13,687 | 12,729 | -7.0% |
| Per 100K | 4.64 | 4.26 | -8.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Keener bearers went from 13,687 to 12,729 (-7.0% change). The surname moved down 123 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,633 to #2,756.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Keener
FAQ
Keener surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Keener?
Name Census estimates that about 14,597 living Americans carry the surname Keener. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 23,481 residents.
How common is Keener?
Keener ranks #2,756 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.26 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,729 people with the surname Keener. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,597), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.26 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.26 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Keener.
Has Keener become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Keener went from 13,687 recorded bearers to 12,729. That is a decrease of 958 (-7.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,633 to #2,756.
What does the Census say about the background of Keener?
Among Census respondents with the surname Keener, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Black (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Keener in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (11,212 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Keener appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Black (4.0%), Two or More Races (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Keener (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Keener mean?
An occupational surname referring to a person who sharpens or maintains blades, or one who is enthusiastic and eager. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Keener (4.26 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Keener?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.