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Hi Lance,

I was told that the Kean name was originally "O'Caithen" which then became "cane" and then became "O'Keane" then "Keane" and "Kean". And I was told that this formation of the name was the Catholics and they were from Gallway. I wonder how that would fit into your findings as I am really not very good with geography or the Irish history! Hope it helps,

Regards, Emily

The Kean family come from the South West of Ireland. My mother's maiden name is Kean, and she was born in 1928, the second daughter of William Kean who emigrated from Ireland. I am still researching more info as to when, but my mother tells me his father ran a bicycle shop in Newry before emigrating and moving to Moss Side in Manchester, when it was still a village on the outskirts of the city. I have just returned from a holiday in Kerry, which confirms that the Kean family come from this area and Cork. A very nice gentleman on the the ferry to Holyhead also confirmed this, but also told me that the name Keane was from the North and the name Keene was further South East. In addition, he said the two versions with an 'e' on the end were pronounced as they are written, but the name kean was originally pronounced 'cane'. He also told me, as had another irish man that the Kean family lived on Great Blasket Island.