A Mongol people (though some historians claim a Turkic origin) living in Central Asia. They lived along the upper reaches of the Orkhon River west of the Tula River and north of the Ongiin River . According to the Syrian Bar Hebraeus, the Kereit were converted to Nestorianism about the year 1008. They lived to the east of the Naimans.

Their khan Toghrul was granted the title of Wang (King) by the Chinese Emperor in 1183. He is best known as foster-father to Temujin (later Genghis Khan) until the two had a falling out. The Keraits were part of the united Mongol polity forged by Genghis Khan in the first years of the 13th century CE.