NameCensus.

UK surname

Kenna

Anglicized form of the Irish surname "O Cionnaith," derived from "cionn" meaning "head" or "chief."

In the 1881 census there were 269 people recorded with the Kenna surname, ranking it #10,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 724, ranked #7,505, up from #10,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Mary and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Barlanark and Easterhouse South, Blackhill and Barmulloch East and North Warwickshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kenna is 727 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 169.1%.

1881 census count

269

Ranked #10,506

Modern count

724

2016, ranked #7,505

Peak year

1999

727 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kenna had 269 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 724 in 2016, ranked #7,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 351 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Kenna surname distribution map

The map shows where the Kenna surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Kenna surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kenna over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 154 #12,668
1861 historical 206 #11,725
1881 historical 269 #10,506
1891 historical 351 #9,809
1901 historical 310 #11,393
1911 historical 273 #12,177
1997 modern 675 #7,452
1998 modern 718 #7,326
1999 modern 727 #7,316
2000 modern 700 #7,492
2001 modern 681 #7,513
2002 modern 710 #7,428
2003 modern 700 #7,389
2004 modern 699 #7,412
2005 modern 685 #7,480
2006 modern 668 #7,637
2007 modern 682 #7,590
2008 modern 692 #7,552
2009 modern 686 #7,759
2010 modern 700 #7,778
2011 modern 688 #7,791
2012 modern 666 #7,912
2013 modern 690 #7,817
2014 modern 713 #7,662
2015 modern 710 #7,636
2016 modern 724 #7,505

Geography

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Where Kennas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Mary, London parishes and Toxteth Park. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Barlanark and Easterhouse South, Blackhill and Barmulloch East, North Warwickshire, Southend-on-Sea and Telford and Wrekin. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 St Mary Pembrokeshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Toxteth Park Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Barlanark and Easterhouse South Glasgow City
2 Blackhill and Barmulloch East Glasgow City
3 North Warwickshire 004 North Warwickshire
4 Southend-on-Sea 014 Southend-on-Sea
5 Telford and Wrekin 020 Telford and Wrekin

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kenna

These lists show first names that appear often with the Kenna surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kenna

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kenna, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Kenna surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Kenna household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kenna is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kenna is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kenna falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kenna is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Kenna, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kenna

The surname Kenna is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "ceann" meaning "head" or "chief." It is believed to have originated in the 10th or 11th century as a descriptive name for the head of a clan or family.

The Kenna surname is particularly associated with counties Louth and Monaghan in Ireland, where it is believed to have originated. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of the Four Masters, which are historical chronicles that date back to the 12th century.

One notable early bearer of the name was Gilla-na-naem Ua Cendubain, who was the Bishop of Raphoe in County Donegal in the late 12th century. The name was also recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Cumbria in England in 1199, suggesting that some bearers of the name had migrated to England by that time.

The Kenna surname has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Kennaught in County Meath and Kinnaird in County Donegal. These place names are thought to be derived from the same Gaelic root as the surname.

Some notable historical figures with the surname Kenna include:

1. Sir Edward Kenna (c. 1550-1610), an Irish military commander who served in the Spanish Army of Flanders. 2. William Kenna (1787-1867), an Irish-American politician who served as the 8th Mayor of Chicago from 1853 to 1855. 3. John Kenna (1848-1893), a U.S. Representative from West Virginia. 4. John E. Kenna (1865-1939), a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. 5. Michael Kenna (born 1953), a renowned English photographer known for his landscape and architectural photography.

The surname Kenna has also been found in various spellings throughout history, such as Kenna, Kinnah, Kennagh, and Kenney, reflecting regional variations and linguistic influences over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kenna families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kenna surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 78 Kennas recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.36x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 78 2.36x
Pembrokeshire 31 35.09x
Isle of Man 27 52.30x
Cheshire 19 3.10x
Yorkshire 19 0.69x
Lanarkshire 11 1.22x
Ayrshire 10 4.81x
Durham 10 1.21x
Middlesex 10 0.36x
Northumberland 10 2.42x
Angus 7 2.72x
Gloucestershire 6 1.10x
Perthshire 5 4.01x
Stirlingshire 5 4.88x
Flintshire 4 5.35x
Midlothian 4 1.07x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.70x
Cumberland 3 1.25x
Kent 3 0.32x
Surrey 3 0.22x
Argyllshire 2 2.58x
Dumfriesshire 2 3.26x
Royal Navy 2 6.04x
Wigtownshire 2 5.42x
Devon 1 0.17x
Essex 1 0.18x
Glamorgan 1 0.21x
Hampshire 1 0.18x
Renfrewshire 1 0.46x
Roxburghshire 1 1.99x
Shropshire 1 0.42x
Staffordshire 1 0.11x
Sussex 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 17 Kennas recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.46x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 17 11.46x
Pembroke St Mary 15 131.81x
Leeds 13 8.36x
German Peel 11 370.37x
Liverpool 11 5.49x
Toxteth Park 11 9.85x
Onchan 10 67.25x
Angle 8 1818.18x
Girvan 7 134.10x
Knutsford Nether 7 188.68x
Longbenton 7 39.95x
Beverley Parks 6 1818.18x
Birkenhead 6 12.26x
Carew 6 681.82x
Dundee 6 6.24x
Accrington 5 16.67x
Blackburn 5 5.70x
Glasgow 5 3.13x
Stirling 5 38.67x
Walton On Hill 5 27.98x
Govan 4 1.80x
Kensington London 4 2.59x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 4 56.66x
Tottenham 4 9.03x
Cheltenham 3 7.13x
Edinburgh Old Church 3 100.33x
Elswick 3 9.09x
Flint 3 70.75x
German 3 106.38x
Kirkdale 3 5.41x
Perth East Church 3 25.51x
St Andrewthe Less 3 14.91x
Stranton 3 10.78x
Tarbolton 3 87.72x
West Derby 3 3.11x
Windle 3 16.16x
Aighton Bailey 2 125.79x
Barony 2 0.88x
Barrow In Furness 2 4.46x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 11.00x
Clayton Le Moors 2 31.25x
Coundon Grange 2 110.50x
Crosscanonby 2 25.25x
Dumfries 2 33.00x
Knapdale South 2 75.19x
Patrick 2 79.37x
Preston 2 2.27x
Rochester St Margaret 2 20.00x
Royal Navy 2 7.06x
Salford 2 2.06x
Southwark St John 2 23.53x
Alverstoke 1 4.85x
Arlecdon 1 15.70x
Benfieldside 1 18.38x
Blairgowrie 1 20.28x
Cannock 1 6.11x
Cardiff St John 1 6.33x
Castlemartin 1 270.27x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.91x
Darlington 1 3.13x
Holywell 1 10.66x
Kirkcowan 1 80.65x
Liff Benvie 1 2.56x
Liscard 1 9.04x
Northam 1 23.70x
Oldham 1 0.94x
Paddington London 1 0.98x
Parr 1 8.47x
Port Of Monteith 1 89.29x
Ramsgate 1 6.46x
Rushen 1 28.65x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.79x
Stackpole Elidor 1 357.14x
Stockport 1 3.17x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.51x
Tunstall 1 24.27x
West Calder 1 13.62x
West Greenock 1 2.59x
West Ham 1 0.83x
Wotton St Mary 1 35.34x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kenna surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 26
Margaret 12
Elizabeth 11
Ellen 6
Sarah 5
Catherine 4
Eliza 4
Julia 4
Martha 4
Ann 3
Eleanor 3
Jane 3
Kate 3
Anna 2
Betsy 2
Maria 2
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Cathrine 1
Cecelia 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Fredda 1
Hannah 1
Johanna 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Lillian 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Margrite 1
Margt. 1
Margurete 1
Matilda 1
Rose 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kenna surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 23
James 12
Thomas 12
William 10
Patrick 7
Joseph 6
George 5
Peter 4
Andrew 3
Wm. 2
Albin 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Auther 1
Cesar 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Jos. 1
L. 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Morris 1
Nelson 1
Owen 1
Phillip 1
Robert 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Kenna surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kenna surname in 1881?

In 1881, 269 people were recorded with the Kenna surname. That placed it at #10,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kenna surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 724 in 2016. That gives Kenna a modern rank of #7,505.

What does the Kenna surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname "O Cionnaith," derived from "cionn" meaning "head" or "chief."

What does the Kenna map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kenna bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.