Surname Keightley - Meaning and Origin
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Keightley: What does the surname Keightley mean?
The last name Keightley is of English origin and is thought to be a topographical name, meaning someone who lived near a reliable source of a material, usually wood. The name is derived from a combination of two elements in Old English, 'cot' meaning hut, and 'leah' meaning wood or clearing.
The name was first found in Nottinghamshire where an early record of the surname was listed in 1233 as 'William de Keytelay or Keidelay'. As the medieval era took over, the name was taken to different parts of England and Scotland.
In the modern day, Keightley is a common name in the United Kingdom and also prevalent in the United States of America. There have been many branches of the Keightley family, with branches in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Derbyshire.
The Keightley surname is associated with nobles and royal ancestry throughout the centuries. The renowned Sir Thomas Keightley was a very successful English lawyer who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1567, while the Keightley family of Verulam, Hertfordshire have a long history of serving the court of the Crown.
Order DNA origin analysisKeightley: Where does the name Keightley come from?
The last name Keightley is most common in Australia and the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom, records show that the last name is most common in the Midlands and Yorkshire. In Australia, the last name is most commonly found in Queensland and New South Wales.
The Keightleys originated in the 11th century and have been found all over England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. In the UK, records show that the last name is linked to Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Durham, Northumberland and Lancashire.
In Australia, the first recorded Keightley's arrived in 1841 with records showing the last name was associated with Queensland and later New South Wales. As the population spread along the eastern seaboard, Keightley's became more prominent in these areas.
Today, this surname is still found in the United Kingdom and Australia, as well as other parts of the world. Consequently, this has created a global network for the Keightley's which has enabled them to stay connected with their heritage and culture.
Variations of the surname Keightley
The surname Keightley derives from the Old English personal name 'Cægifu', which evolved into the Middle English 'Ketel'. The variant spellings of the surname vary from region to region and include: Keightley, Kightley, Keyghtly, Keytly, Kitely, and Keatly.
Throughout England, Scotland and Ireland, the surname is often differentiated by a change in spelling between old and new generations. One such variation is the Keatly spelling which originates from Northumberland and Cumbria. Here, the surname is most associated with the villages of Keatly, Bonchester Bridge and Glendon, and largely derives from people with the surname 'Ketel' migrating into this rural area centuries earlier.
The Scottish spelling of Keightly comprises of two variations - Kightley and Kitely - and is found chiefly in the Aberdeenshire area. Within Ireland, the surname is more commonly found as Keatly or Keytly. However, there are instances of Keightley being used, particularly in counties bordering the north such as Fermanagh and Antrim.
In addition to these variations, the surname has developed many derivatives such as Keightley-Wood, Kawley and Koghley. The names Keightly-Wood and Kawley attest the strength of the surname's connection to the wood turning industry, while Koghley is a further variation on the spelling "Kogley" - a name used by a group of people in the south of England who had a reputation for being 'clock-makers'.
Overall, the numerous forms of the Keightley surname are testament to the influence of diverse regional dialects and cultures throughout Britain and Ireland throughout its history.
Famous people with the name Keightley
- Theodore Keightley- a British historian and dissenter who wrote "History of the War in the Peninsula and in the South of France" and several other works on the history of the British Empire.
- Juliette Keightley- an American architect known for her modernist residential projects in Los Angeles in the 1950s.
- Thomas Keightley- an English writer and philologist, best known for his book "The Fairy Mythology" which explored the literary fairy traditions of Europe.
- British General Sir William Keightley- a British military officer in the Crimean War, the Indian Rebellion, and a knight of the Order of the Bath.
- Thomas Keightley- a 17th century English minister and author of religious texts.
- Janet Keightley- an Australian dancer and choreographer who formed her own school of dance in Sydney.
- Peter Keightley- a British soldier and Victoria Cross recipient, awarded for his bravery at the Battle of Isandlwana in 1879.
- Hamish Keightley- a British actor, best known for his roles in British television dramas like Coronation Street.
- Bill Keightley- Williams R. Keightley, an American college basketball administrative assistant at the University of Kentucky.
- John Keightley Sr.- an American judge and career public servant from Georgia, best known for serving as a member of the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.