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Keats Surname Meaning & Origin

What the Keats last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.

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Meaning and origin of the Keats last name

Meaning of the Keats last name: kite. Keats is an English surname, perhaps from Middle English kete, "kite", a nickname for a greedy person, or from a word for a herdsman's hut. It is found in the south of England. The poet John Keats, author of the great odes, made this last name famous.

Arms associated with the Keats name

Coats of arms associated with the Keats last name belong to the English heraldic tradition, each with its own blazon.

Get your full Keats family history

This is only a glimpse of the Keats story. The full Keats history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Keats coat of arms. Get the full Keats report.

Keats name FAQ

What does the Keats name mean?

Kite. Common variants include Keat, Keates.

Where does the Keats surname come from?

It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Is there a Keats coat of arms?

Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Keats coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.

Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).