Keefe
An Irish surname, usually treated as a shortened or anglicized form of Ó Caoimh or a related Gaelic name meaning “gentle” or “kind.”
The #3,275 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 27,997 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Keefe is generally an anglicized Irish surname. In older surname studies it is linked with Gaelic forms built on caomh, meaning “gentle,” “kind,” or “beloved,” often appearing in names such as Ó Caoimh. The spelling has many variants, including Keefe, Keeffe, and O’Keefe, reflecting different attempts to render Irish pronunciation in English.
History
The surname is strongly associated with Ireland and Irish emigrant communities. Historical sources commonly treat Keefe and Keeffe as spelling variants of the same family name, often alongside the form O’Keefe. In the United States and elsewhere, the simpler Keefe spelling became common through anglicization and record-keeping variation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The name is often grouped with other Irish surnames based on caomh, a Gaelic root that gave a sense of gentleness rather than physical description.
From the historical record
“1797. If arried — William Hearn and Margaret Keefe : St. Geo. Han. Sq. ii. 1 75. i8oa — Michael Shine and Margaret Kdf : ibid. p. 319. 1806. — John Keeffe and Sarah Shaw :”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)