This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Keith,' an estate in the parish of Humble, Haddingtonshire. Mr. Lower adds that several parishes and places in Scotland bear this name.

1582. Robert Keathe, Yorkshire: Register of the University of Oxford.

1675. John Keith and Ann Sweeting: Marriage Alleg. (Canterbury).

Of territorial origin from the lands of Keith in East Lothian. Fraser (History of Laurencekirk, p. 28) would have us believe the Keiths to be descended from the Catti, a Germanic tribe, who in the early centuries of the Christian era inhabited what is now Hesse in southwest Germany. A section of the tribe emigrated to Scotland at the beginning of the eleventh century under a leader named Robert, who helped defeat the Danes under Camus at Barry in 1010. Malcolm de Keth witnessed Eschina de Londonis's gift of the church of Molle to the Abbey of Kelso, 1185 (Kelso, 146), witnessed a gift of lands in Inuerwyc to the same abbey c. 1190 (ibid., 255), and is in record again as witness to the confirmation of the church of Lundoris to the Abbey of Lundoris in 1202 (LAC., 107). Bernard de Keth witnessed a charter by Hugh rydale, dominus de Craneston, a. 1200 (Neubotle, 12). Magister John de Keth, a cleric, witnessed the gift of Swaynystoun (Swanston) to the Hospital of Soltre, between 1238—70 (Soitre, p. 25). Johannes de Keth in Perth, 1289 (ER., I, p. 49), and Bernard de Keht was juror on an inquest at Berwick in 1296 (Bain, II, p. 210). Andrew Kethe of Enyrrugy was one of the hostages for King James l in 1425 (Bain, IV, 983). Antoun of Keth, a witness in Aberdeen, 1484 (CRA., p. 414). "The Keith of 1455 was first made Lord Keith, and then the first Earl Mairschall. There was a line of ten earls between 1455 and 1715, and there is hardly a Scotch noble family who have not the blood of the Keiths in their veins" (SHR., II, p. 390). Moysie (Memoirs, p. 47—48) under 1584, mentions one Andreas Keathe, a Scotsman and councellor to the "King of Suaddan" (Sweden) came to Scotland to visit the King and friends."Albeit of meane parentis, yit throw his guid behauiour promouit to great honour, and promotioun;" and by the king was (15 March)"maid lord Dingvall." John Ket was admitted burgess of Aberdeen, 1534 (NSCM., I, p. 53). In Germany in the eighteenth century the name was transformed into Kite, and in the United States it has become Cate. Kayt 1542, Keyth 1626, Keythe 1621, Keytht 1590. (2) in Caithness this surname is in Gaelic Caidh."That it represents a short form of MacDha'idh," says Prof. Watson, "is phonetically possible but otherwise unlikely" (I, p. 382). In the fourteenth century one of the Keiths of the Earls Marischal family married one of the heiresses of the Cheynes of Akergill, and settled in the North, hence their North of Scotland connection. Thomas Keith, a Scottish soldier in the British army serving in Egypt, was taken prisoner by the Turks in 1807, embraced Islamism, and after many adventures became governor of El-Medina where Mohammed is buried.

(Celtic) belonging to Keith (Haddington, Banff, etc.), a name of uncertain origin. It has (like Caith-ness) been ascribed to Cait, an alleged son of Cruithne, from whom the Cruithneach or Picts are sup­posedly called; also to the early form of Welsh coed, ‘a wood.’

(Scottish) One who lived on the lands of Keith (wood), in East Lothian.

Several parishes and places in Scotland bear this name, which seems to be a Celtic descriptive term ( Caeth) signifying ' confined or narrow,' The place from which the ancient family of Keith, hereditary Earls-Marshal of Scotland from 1010, derive their surname, is in the parish of Humbie, at the south-western extremity of Haddingtonshire. The district is still known as Keith-Marshall, though the estate has long passed away from the family. This is a sufficient origin of both name and family to satisfy ordinary curiosity, but the inventive genius of Scottish genealogists goes much further.

The family are descended from Robert, chieftain of the Catti, who having joined Malcolm II, at the battle of Panbridge, in 1006, was instrumental in gaining a great victory over the Danes, and slew with his own hand Camus, the Danish leader, which Kang Malcolm perceiving he dipped his three fingers in Camus's blood and drew three strokes or pales on the top of Robert's shield, and these have ever since been the arms of his descendants. In the year 1010, he was advanced by King Malcolm to the hereditary dignity of Marshal of Scotland, and rewarded with a Barony in Lothian called Keith Marshal, and also with the island of Inskeith in gulf of Edinburgh.

Local. From the parish and lands of Keith, in Banffshire, Scotland. The name Keith is said to be derived from the Gaelic Gaoth, wind, pronounced somewhat similarly to Keith. The old village and kirk are called Arkeith, which may be a corruption of the Gaelic Ard Gaoth, signifying "high wind,"which corresponds to its locality, which is peculiarly exposed to gusts of wind. In some old charters, Keith is written Gith, which still more resembles Gaith. I think the name is derived from the Welsh Caeth, a place surrounded, shut up, inclosed, a deep hollow, a strait. The root of the word is the Welsh Cau, to close, to shut up. Concerning this family, the traditional account is, that they came from Germany in the reign of the Emperor Otho, and from the principahty of Hesse, from which they were expelled in some revolution.

The first person of this family of whom our oldest historians take notice, is Robert De Keith, to whom Malcom II., King of Scotland, gave the barony of Keith, in East Lothian, as a reward for killing Camus, a Danish general, who then invaded Scotland with a numerous army. The battle was fought at Barry, seven miles from Dundee, where an obelisk, called Camus' stone, still preserves the memory of the victory, and it is said the king, dipping his three fingers in the blood of the general, stroked them along the field of the Scotch champion's shield, to whom, besides the landed estate before mentioned, he gave the dignity of Great Marshal of Scotland.

(Scotch) This family derive their origin and descent from the Chatti or Catti, now Hesse, a tribe of the Germans, who dwelt in what is now called Hesse-Cassel, and whose name (which may have been taken from the animal sacred to Freya) is preserved in Katzenellebogen, q. v., Katzenfurt, Katzhausen, Katzenbuchel, Katzenberg, etc., in Germany.

About B. C. 100, a part of this tribe descended the Rhine, and settled in Batavia or Holland, where the name is also main­tained in Katwijk aan Zee, Ivatwijk aan den Rhijn, Katten- drecht, Kattenbroek, Katswoude, etc.

During the reign of Corbred II., King of Scotland, circa A.D. 76, a part of these Catti emigrated to Britain; some of whom, called by Fordun”Catti Meliboci,” were driven to the northern parts of Scotland, and landed in that part called Kateness, or Caithness; i. e., Catti's promontory. The Celtic name for that district is “Catt taobh,” Catti's side; and the inhabitants are styled “Cattich,” or “Cattegh.” Caithness is also called “Gall taobh,” Strangers' side, way, or shore.

The first of the tribe named by the Senachies is Gilli Chattan Moir, chief of the Catti, temp. King Alpine (A.D. 831-834), from whom descended the Kethi, Keychts, Keths, or Keiths; and also the MacPhersons, MacIntoshes, Suther­lands, etc., known under the general name of the Clan Chattan. The ancient Celtic title of the Earls of Sutherland is “Morfhear chat,” Lord Cat; literally, Great-man Cat.

Robert, chief of the tribe, was, it is said, created Hereditary Grand Marshal of Scotland by King Malcolm II., A.D. 1010, and had lands granted to him in the south, which he called after his own name. From him descended Herveus de Keth, who in authentic documents, made between the years 1164 and 1178, is styled “Marescallus Regis Scotiæ,” and also “Great Mari- schal.” His descendant, Sir William Keith, Great Marischal, was created Earl Marischal in 1458.