Skip to content

Origins of the Key surname

About the Keys

We have a total of 50710 records for people with the last name Key.

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search
    Start free trial
    “
    I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1700s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
    SS
    Stuart
    Trustpilot logoTrustpilot 5 stars
    1 of 3

    Start your family tree

    Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Keys.

    Sign up to get started

    Delve deeper into the Key family's history

    OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 125North West 63Isle of Man 3Yorkshire 401East Midlands 470West Midlands 613East 349London 684South East 202South West 93South Wales 15Mid Wales 22West WalesNorth Wales 5Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

    In 1921, most Keys lived in london

    Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

    5,600 Key Travel & migration records
    45,000 Keys found in all Census records

    Interesting facts about Key

    How common is your surname?

    875th most common surname in the UK

    We have for the Key surname. The oldest one dates back to 1539.

    Who were Keys most likely to marry?

    Our tell us which families married Keys.

    What are the most common Key first names?

    John

    William

    Mary

    Elizabeth

    Our tell us the names of Key family members
    Man with milk churns and census card collage
    Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

    Common jobs for Keys

    Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

    Common female occupations for Keys in 1921

    Dressmaker

    178

    Domestic Servant

    104

    House Servant

    104

    General Servant Domestic

    94

    Laundress

    93

    Common male occupations for Keys in 1921

    Agricultural Labourer

    226

    Farmer

    215

    Coal Miner

    168

    General Labourer

    157

    Farm Labourer

    138

    We found over 250,000 family trees with the Key surname

    Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Keys.

    Search for a relative in our family trees

    Learn more about the lives of Key family members

    How rare is your surname?

    Have you ever wondered if your family na...

    The rise and fall of these disappearing British surnames

    Could your surname be on the brink of di...

    English surnames explained: The seven types of last names you should know

    Ever wondered where our last names come...

    How to find the maiden names of women in your family tree

    Try these simple tricks to pinpoint your...

    4 simple steps to starting your family history journey

    Starting your family history journey is...

    Share your discoveries

    Share to WhatsApp

    Share to Facebook

    Look for a different surname