O'Keefe/O'Keeffe is an Irish surname, from the (Irish:caomh meaning 'beautiful').[1]
The surname is related to a number of Irish surnames, from O'Caomhain meaning ('son of Kevin'), more commonly anglicized as Kavanagh.[2] The surname Kevin, is associated with Mag Dhuibhfhinn meaning ('Dark Finn'), hence the surname Finn.[3]
The second is from Ó Geibheannaigh, anglicized as Keaveney, MacGeaveny and Geaney, now Kenny.[4]
Other related names include Caomhánach, Mag Dhuibhín, McKevin, McKinnon, MacKenzie, Quinn, Kennedy, McKenna, Kennan and Gannon.
People with the surname
- Andrew O'Keefe (born 1971), Australian TV personality
- Arthur J. O'Keefe (1876–1943) American banker and mayor of New Orleans
- Brian O'Keefe (baseball) (born 1993), American baseball player
- Dan O'Keefe (born 1929), a former member of the California state Senate
- Daniel O'Keefe (1928–2012), editor and author, original inventor of Festivus
- Daniel J. O'Keefe (born 1950), American communication and argumentation theory scholar
- Danny O'Keefe (born 1943), American singer-songwriter based in Seattle, Washington
- David Dean O'Keefe (born circa 1824 or 1828, died 1901), Irishman who created stone money and became the virtual king of the island of Yap
- Dennis O'Keefe (1908–1968), American film actor
- Dennis O'Keefe, the mayor of St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
- Derrick O'Keefe (born 1977), Canadian progressive writer, political activist and blogger
- Eamonn O'Keefe (born 1953), English-born Irish former professional footballer
- Eric O'Keefe (born 1961), American author, editor, and journalist
- Eugene O'Keefe (1827–1913) founder of the O'Keefe Brewery in Toronto
- Frank O'Keefe (1912–1989), Australian politician
- Frank O'Keefe (footballer) (1898–1958), Australian footballer
- Gerald Francis O'Keefe (1917–2000), Catholic bishop of Davenport, Iowa, USA
- James O'Keefe (born 1984), American conservative videographer
- Jodi Lyn O'Keefe (born 1978), American actress and model
- Jeremiah Joseph O'Keefe (1923–2016), American politician
- Jeremiah Joseph O'Keefe IV (1946–2007), American politician
- John O'Keefe (neuroscientist), American-British neuroscientist and Nobel laureate
- Johnny O'Keefe (1935–1978), Australian rock and roll singer
- Joseph "Specs" O'Keefe, one of the participants in the Great Brinks Robbery
- Ken O'Keefe (born 1953), American college football coach
- Kerin O'Keefe (fl. 2000s–2020s), American wine critic and author
- Laurence O'Keefe (disambiguation)
- Marcy O'Keefe (born 1955), American tennis player
- Mark O'Keefe (politician) (born 1952), American politician
- Michael A. O'Keefe (born 1942), Australian-American physicist
- Michael O'Keefe, (born 1955), American film and television actor
- Michael O'Keefe (Louisiana politician) (1931–2021), American politician; convicted felon
- Molly O'Keefe (fl. 2000s–2020s), American author
- Neil O'Keefe (born 1947), retired Australian politician and lobbyist
- Peggy O'Keefe (1928–2019) Australian-Scottish musical artist
- Phil O'Keefe (1948–2020), British geographer and development specialist
- Ryan O'Keefe (born 1981), Australian Football League player
- Sean O'Keefe (born 1956), Chancellor of Louisiana State University, former NASA administrator and aerospace industry executive
- Steve O'Keefe (born 1984), Australian cricketer and current New South Wales player
- Richard O'Keefe (fl. 1990s), computer scientist
- Thomas O'Keefe (born 1964), American musician known for his work in the group Antiseen
- Walter O'Keefe (1900–1983), American songwriter, actor and syndicated columnist
See also
- Carling O'Keefe, a brewing conglomerate in Canada
References
- ^ "Last name O%27KEEFE: Origin and meaning"
- ^ "FamilySearch.org". Archived 2024-07-21 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
- ^ "Given Coat of Arms, Family Crest - Free Image to View - Given Name Origin History and Meaning of Symbols"
- ^ "FamilyTreeDNA - Genetic Testing for Ancestry, Family History & Genealogy"