Keyes Last Name: Meaning and Heraldic Roots

Spelled Keyes, the surname still points back to Keys. Taken at its root, Keyes points to “Keys / quay”.

Heraldry and the Keyes name

There is no single Keyes family crest for every bearer. Herald Lab researches the arms historically associated with the name and explains whose they were.

A variant of Keys

The extra “e” in Keyes is a spelling habit rather than a different name. Local scribes, dialects and emigration all left their mark on how the name was written.

Keyes ranked 1,979 in the 2010 US Census, with 18,252 people answering to the name. For the full story, order the Keyes surname pack.