Keith surname meaning

Keith is a Scottish habitational surname associated especially with Keith in Banffshire and with other localities bearing the name. The surname became prominent in Scottish records through the Keith family, but the geographic formation should not be turned into a claim that every modern Keith descends from one noble line. Keath, Keyth, and Keth are historical spelling comparisons. The deeper etymology of the place-name is debated, so the catalog avoids forcing a single translation. Place is high confidence because the surname’s association with named Scottish localities is well documented.