KEW
The surname Kew is of English origin and derives from the Old English word cēo, meaning “key”. It is a topographic surname, traditionally used to describe a person who resided near a key‑shaped geographical feature or a place associated with keys, such as a locksmith’s workshop or a hill resembling the shape of a key.
As a nickname it could have been bestowed upon an individual who held a position of authority or responsibility, since keys have historically been symbols of access and control.
Various surnames – Kehoe, Keyho, Keyhoe and Kew – are considered locational names associated with a lost town called Caieu, originally located near Boulogne-sur-Mer in north-west France. The town appears in the historical record under spellings such as Cahu, Kaeu, Kaio, Kayhou and Keu. In Ireland the surname is more common and may date back to Strongbow’s invasion of 1170. It is chiefly found in the province of Leinster, with the spelling Kehoe being usual in County Wexford. Related names include Mackeogh, O'Hoey, Hay, Haughey and Hough; the present Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, Charles Haughey, bears the latter form.
The earliest documented version of the surname is that of Robert de Kaiho, recorded in the year 1195 within the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire. These records were produced during the reign of Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart, who ruled from 1189 to 1199.
In contemporary usage the surname Kew remains a recognised family name within the British Isles, particularly in England and parts of Ireland. Its distribution reflects the historical pathways of settlement and the enduring legacy of place‑based surnames in the region.
Typical given names associated with the Kew surname
Male
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- Graham
- James
- John
- Jonathan
- Michael
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Belinda
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jacqueline
- Jane
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Pamela
- Patricia
- Paula
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Kew in...
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Morse
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There are approximately 1,728 people named Kew in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,751st most common surname in Britain. Around 27 in a million people in Britain are named Kew.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Kew
- Alex Kew - Actor and musician
- Gordon Kew - Football referee (1930 to 2018)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.