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Though it is still found indigenous in England, where it derives from the Old English Cyting, from cyt, meaning 'kite', in Ireland it is a name which may be regarded as completely hibernicised and the gaelicised form, Céitinn, was adopted at a very early stage. The Keatings of Norman origin themselves first came to Ireland with the Anglo-Norman invaders at the end of the twelfth century, when they settled in Co. Wexford. With that county they have been most prominently associated; but branches of the family soon established themselves in Leix and other parts of South Leinster. Writing of Queen's County in 1613 the Lord Deputy describes the Keatings as a "great sept of people" there. They are noted as serving as barons of Kilmananan. In 1579 Sir Nicholas Malby, in his description of Ireland and its septs, calls them ill-disposed rebels (of Co. Carlow).

From the year 1302 onwards Keatings held many positions of importance as sheriffs, members of parliament etc. The best known of these was John Keating (1635 - 1695), who was Lord Chief Justice and a notable figure in the parliament of 1689.

At that time also several served in King James's Irish army. The name appears among the attainders following the defeat of James II, one family so dispossessed being as far north in Leinster as Co. Meath. They do not seem to have been so closely identified with the national cause in the previous generation, as none was attainted in 1642.

However, the most famous and most patriotic of all Keatings lived then, Seathrun Céitinn or Dr. Geoffrey Keating (1570-1644), hunted priest, gifted preacher, and author of Foras Feasa, History of Ireland and other important works in the Irish language. Of his line were some Keatings of Tubrid, Co. Tipperary, in the nineteenth century.

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the name was not prominent in Ireland, though General Thomas Keating (1748-1796) was a notable figure in revolutionary France; but in our own day Sean Keating was an outstanding artist and President of the Royal Hibemian Academy. In even more modern times, Justin Keating was a popular and well known host of Irish Television programs focussing on agriculture, who later entered politics and was minister for agriculture in the Fine Gael - Labour government of the 1970’s and a most popular figure up to his untimely death.

By the time of the 1890 birth index, 130 births were recorded in Cork, Kerry, Tipperary and Dublin. In the census of 1659 the spelling of 'Keatinge' is found as a principal name of Tipperary. 'Keating' is found as a principal name of Waterford, and in Kildare and Kilkenny among other locations.

The name O Ceatfhadha, usually anglicized Keaty, belonging to a minor Dalcassian sept located near the city of Limerick, has in some cases assumed the form Keating. MacKeatings are found in Ulster, though their origin is unknown.

Heraldry

Arms: Argent a saltire Gules between four nettle leaves Vert. Crest: A boar statant Gules armed and hoofed Or holding in the mouth a nettle leaf Vert. Motto: fidelissmus semper (”always faithful”. This motto was not part of the original coat of arms but later adopted by prominent members of the family)