NameCensus.

UK surname

Kennard

From the Old English "Cyneheard," meaning "brave or hardy advisor," an occupational surname for a royal counselor or wise man.

In the 1881 census there were 1,462 people recorded with the Kennard surname, ranking it #2,852 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,872, ranked #3,401, down from #2,852 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, Milstead and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tonbridge and Malling, Lewes and Torfaen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kennard is 2,063 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.0%.

1881 census count

1,462

Ranked #2,852

Modern count

1,872

2016, ranked #3,401

Peak year

1911

2,063 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kennard had 1,462 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,852 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,872 in 2016, ranked #3,401.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,063 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kennard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kennard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kennard 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 836 #3,244
1861 historical 736 #3,710
1881 historical 1,462 #2,852
1891 historical 1,590 #2,797
1901 historical 1,923 #2,747
1911 historical 2,063 #2,419
1997 modern 1,862 #3,236
1998 modern 1,955 #3,210
1999 modern 1,915 #3,299
2000 modern 1,902 #3,301
2001 modern 1,865 #3,296
2002 modern 1,937 #3,254
2003 modern 1,893 #3,249
2004 modern 1,900 #3,239
2005 modern 1,830 #3,313
2006 modern 1,819 #3,340
2007 modern 1,834 #3,341
2008 modern 1,844 #3,360
2009 modern 1,885 #3,367
2010 modern 1,952 #3,338
2011 modern 1,895 #3,390
2012 modern 1,884 #3,351
2013 modern 1,877 #3,409
2014 modern 1,893 #3,404
2015 modern 1,865 #3,418
2016 modern 1,872 #3,401

Geography

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Where Kennards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, Milstead, London parishes and Sompting. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tonbridge and Malling, Lewes, Torfaen, Knowsley and East Devon. 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 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
2 Milstead Kent
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Sompting Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tonbridge and Malling 003 Tonbridge and Malling
2 Lewes 007 Lewes
3 Torfaen 004 Torfaen
4 Knowsley 010 Knowsley
5 East Devon 001 East Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kennard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kennard

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kennard, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Kennard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kennard household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kennard 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

Kennard is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kennard falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kennard is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kennard

The surname KENNARD is of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name Cyna and the Old English word "ard" meaning "hardy" or "brave." It was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Chenard" and referred to a person residing in Dorset.

The name is believed to have originated in the county of Dorset, England, in the 11th century. Early records show variations in spelling, such as Kenard, Kennarde, and Kennerth, before the modern spelling of KENNARD became standardized.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Richard Kennard, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1203. Another early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a William Kennard.

The name KENNARD has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. Sir Robert KENNARD (1572-1638) was an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers. He served as Lord Mayor of London in 1635.

Another prominent figure was Thomas KENNARD (1786-1864), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Exchange and the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

In the United States, the KENNARD family has a long history, with one of the earliest recorded bearers being John KENNARD, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. William KENNARD (1790-1862) was an American politician and jurist who served as a U.S. Representative from Ohio.

Other notable individuals with the surname KENNARD include Sir Coleridge KENNARD (1885-1948), a British diplomat and civil servant, and Robert Dudley KENNARD (1895-1957), an American businessman and philanthropist.

The KENNARD name has also been associated with several place names, such as Kennard, Ohio, and Kennard, Nebraska, both named after early settlers with the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kennard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kennard 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. Sussex leads with 345 Kennards recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.39x.

County Total Index
Sussex 345 14.39x
Kent 307 6.33x
Middlesex 198 1.39x
Surrey 114 1.65x
Devon 108 3.65x
Warwickshire 58 1.62x
Hampshire 40 1.37x
Worcestershire 33 1.78x
Lancashire 30 0.18x
Essex 27 0.96x
Somerset 27 1.18x
Cornwall 24 1.49x
Monmouthshire 18 1.75x
Shropshire 15 1.22x
Glamorgan 13 0.52x
Yorkshire 13 0.09x
Berkshire 11 1.03x
Herefordshire 11 1.89x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.81x
Wiltshire 7 0.56x
Derbyshire 6 0.27x
Midlothian 5 0.26x
Dorset 4 0.43x
Gloucestershire 4 0.14x
Hertfordshire 4 0.41x
Lanarkshire 4 0.09x
Leicestershire 4 0.25x
Northamptonshire 4 0.30x
Norfolk 3 0.14x
Flintshire 2 0.52x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.10x
Staffordshire 2 0.04x
Anglesey 1 0.40x
Durham 1 0.02x
Lincolnshire 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 60 Kennards recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.40x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 60 12.40x
Milstead 32 2601.63x
Croydon 30 7.80x
St Marylebone London 27 3.56x
Islington London 26 1.89x
Sompting 25 753.01x
Greenwich 20 8.83x
West Ham 20 3.23x
Lambeth 19 1.53x
St Pancras London 19 1.66x
Beddingham 18 825.69x
Bermondsey 18 4.25x
Eastbourne 18 16.31x
Lee 18 25.55x
Leigh 18 79.82x
Loddiswell 18 460.36x
Pembury 18 261.63x
Brenchley 17 97.87x
Chatham 16 11.99x
Hackney London 15 1.88x
Leamington Priors 15 17.00x
Camberwell 14 1.54x
Limehouse London 14 8.97x
Lamberhurstsussex 13 416.67x
Margate St John Baptist 13 14.63x
St George Hanover Square 13 5.19x
Withyam 13 126.71x
Lezant 12 333.33x
Linton 12 282.35x
Cranbrook 11 53.53x
Deptford St Paul 11 2.94x
Kensington London 11 1.39x
Rugby 11 22.67x
Keymer 10 59.07x
Lambourn 10 94.52x
Plymouth St Andrew 10 4.38x
Preston 10 23.88x
Roath 10 8.89x
Boxley 9 120.81x
Chelsea London 9 2.10x
Dunchurch 9 183.67x
Lewisham 9 3.48x
Lidford 9 67.67x
Modbury 9 119.05x
Ramsgate 9 11.36x
Seaford 9 110.43x
Birmingham 8 0.67x
Deal 8 19.33x
Frindsbury 8 43.74x
Hove 8 7.60x
Kelly 8 720.72x
Kirkdale 8 2.82x
Lamerton 8 142.10x
Monckton Combe 8 109.29x
Paddington London 8 1.53x
Shoreditch London 8 1.30x
Wadhurst 8 50.83x
West Alvington 8 192.31x
West Firle 8 286.74x
Whistones 8 59.48x
Crawley 7 315.32x
East Blatchington 7 666.67x
Everton 7 1.30x
Hailsham 7 48.24x
Hastings St Mary 7 11.73x
Highworth 7 43.53x
Hopton Wafers 7 331.75x
Hulme 7 1.99x
Lewes All Sts 7 73.30x
Streatham 7 6.63x
West Tarring 7 196.08x
Woodleigh 7 714.29x
Llanwarne 6 329.67x
Poplar London 6 2.24x
Ringmer 6 88.76x
Risca 6 30.96x
St Thomas Apostle 6 120.97x
Strood 6 21.68x
Tonbridge 6 3.43x
Wivelsfield 6 64.03x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 96
John 71
George 54
James 52
Thomas 41
Henry 29
Edward 27
Richard 24
Charles 23
Alfred 15
Arthur 15
Frederick 14
Robert 14
Albert 13
Ernest 11
David 10
Edwin 10
Joseph 10
Herbert 9
Walter 9
Frank 7
Harry 6
Fredk. 5
Howard 4
Stephen 4
Wm. 4
Edmund 3
Fredrick 3
Jesse 3
Marshall 3
Nicholas 3
Samuel 3
Sydney 3
Tom 3
Warden 3
Augustus 2
Chas. 2
Chas.Edwd. 2
Daniel 2
Francis 2
Horace 2
Hugh 2
Isaac 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2
Sidney 2
Spencer 2
Willm. 2
Wm.Thomas 1

FAQ

Kennard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kennard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,462 people were recorded with the Kennard surname. That placed it at #2,852 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kennard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,872 in 2016. That gives Kennard a modern rank of #3,401.

What does the Kennard surname mean?

From the Old English "Cyneheard," meaning "brave or hardy advisor," an occupational surname for a royal counselor or wise man.

What does the Kennard map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kennard 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.