FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * KEITHLEY JOSEPH P   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS INC [KEI] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director __X__ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Director, Chairman, CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS, INC., 28775 AURORA ROAD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/21/2009 (Street) SOLON, OH 44139 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Class B Common Shares               1,954,816 I Partnership (1) Class B Common Shares               46,062 I Trust (2) Class B Common Shares               130,000 D   Common Shares 12/21/2009   P(3)   100 A $ 4.3 125,987 D   Common Shares 12/21/2009   P(3)   400 A $ 4.33 126,387 D   Common Shares 12/21/2009   P(3)   500 A $ 4.35 126,887 D   Common Shares 12/22/2009   P(3)   806 A $ 4.3 127,693 D   Common Shares 12/22/2009   P(3)   500 A $ 4.25 128,193 D   Restricted Common Shares (4)               1,308 D   Common Shares               2,448 I Wife

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Common Share Option

$ 45.125

08/02/2002

08/01/2010

Common Shares

120,000

120,000

D

Common Share Option

$ 18.41

07/25/2003(5)

07/24/2011

Common Shares

100,000

100,000

D

Common Share Option

$ 13.76

07/24/2004(5)

07/23/2012

Common Shares

100,000

100,000

D

Common Share Option

$ 16.12

08/10/2005

07/18/2013

Common Shares

100,000

100,000

D

Common Share Option

$ 18.75

02/15/2005

07/16/2014

Common Shares

70,000

70,000

D

Common Share Option

$ 15.05

10/04/2007(5)

10/03/2015

Common Shares

55,000

55,000

D

Common Share Option

$ 9.12

11/09/2009(5)

11/09/2017

Common Shares

38,300

38,300

D

Performance Award Unit

$ 0

09/30/2010(6)

(6)

Common Shares

19,300 (6)

19,300 (6)

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
KEITHLEY JOSEPH P KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS, INC. 28775 AURORA ROAD SOLON, OH 44139	X	X	Director, Chairman, CEO

Signatures

Mark J. Plush, Attorney-in Fact		12/22/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Keithley Investment Co. Limited Partnership
(2)	Joseph F. Keithley 1988 Family Trust - reporting person is Trustee
(3)	The purchases reported in this Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on December 8, 2009.
(4)	Restricted shares will become fully vested on December 1, 2010
(5)	Date reported applies to 50% of total, one-half of the balance is then exercisable in each succeeding year.
(6)	Each Performance Award Unit represents the right to receive one common share. The number of units initially awarded, the target, is shown above. The actual number of units that will be awarded and converted to shares is based upon: a) the Company's revenue growth as compared to a defined Peer Group and, b) the Company maintaining an acceptable level of profitability during the performance period which ends on the date exercisable (the "vesting date"). Awarded units are automatically converted to shares under the Plan on or before the December 31st following the Vesting Date.

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