Explore the Family Name Kees

The meaning of Kees

1. Dutch and German: from a vernacular form of the Latin personal name Cornelius. 2. German: variant of Kase 2 or possibly 1. 3. English (mainly Essex) and Scottish (mainly Dunbartonshire): variant of Kee, with post-medieval excrescent -s. This surname is rare in Britain.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Kees in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Kees has seen a slight decline over the years. In the year 2000, it held the rank of 13,675 among all surnames in the United States and fell to 13,991 in 2010, marking a decrease of 2.31%. However, the number of individuals with this last name has grown from 2,034 in 2000 to 2,154 in 2010, an increase of 5.9%. Despite this growth, the proportion of individuals named Kees per 100,000 people decreased by 2.67% during the same period.

20002010Change
Rank#13,675#13,991-2.31%
Count2,0342,1545.9%
Proportion per 100k0.750.73-2.67%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kees

In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a diverse spread for the surname Kees. The majority of individuals with this last name identify as White, though this percentage declined slightly from 87.41% in 2000 to 85.79% in 2010. The Hispanic population with the Kees surname nearly doubled, increasing from 0.49% in 2000 to 0.93% in 2010. Similarly, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander saw notable growth, rising by 66.67% over the decade. While the Black population increased from 9.93% to 10.91%, the proportion of those identifying with two or more races dropped slightly by 5.69%. There was a small yet positive change of 3.70% in the American Indian and Alaskan Native population from 2000 to 2010.

20002010Change
White87.41%85.79%-1.85%
Black9.93%10.91%9.87%
Two or More Races1.23%1.16%-5.69%
Hispanic0.49%0.93%89.8%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.39%0.65%66.67%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.54%0.56%3.7%