Keane
/kiːn/noun
A surname of Irish origin, especially associated with anglicized forms of the Gaelic Ó Catháin.
Did you know?The Irish root cath means “battle,” appearing in names such as Cathán and Cathal, linking Keane to an old Celtic naming tradition centered on warfare and valor.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Celtic
Proto-Celtic
*katus
“Battle or combat”
Early Old Irish
Old Irish
cath
“Battle; warfare”
Early Medieval Ireland
Old Irish
Cathán
“A diminutive personal name meaning “little battle””
Medieval Ireland
Irish Gaelic
Ó Catháin
“Descendant of Cathán”
16th–18th Century
English
Keane
“An anglicized form of Ó Catháin and related Gaelic surnames”
Modern English
English
Keane
“An Irish surname and established family name”