NameCensus.

UK surname

Kenneally

Irish: from a Gaelic byname meaning brave-headed, bold chief.

In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Kenneally surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 410, ranked #11,674, up from #32,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Thurrock, Manchester and Isle of Anglesey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kenneally is 440 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6733.3%.

1881 census count

6

Ranked #32,926

Modern count

410

2016, ranked #11,674

Peak year

2014

440 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kenneally had 6 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 410 in 2016, ranked #11,674.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 39 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Kenneally surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kenneally surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kenneally 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 1 #33,412
1881 historical 6 #32,926
1891 historical 6 #33,800
1901 historical 10 #33,026
1911 historical 39 #29,025
1997 modern 414 #10,729
1998 modern 414 #11,073
1999 modern 405 #11,344
2000 modern 418 #11,047
2001 modern 405 #11,121
2002 modern 435 #10,736
2003 modern 419 #10,875
2004 modern 429 #10,718
2005 modern 413 #10,918
2006 modern 410 #11,015
2007 modern 414 #11,072
2008 modern 402 #11,419
2009 modern 403 #11,659
2010 modern 419 #11,550
2011 modern 418 #11,440
2012 modern 427 #11,120
2013 modern 425 #11,382
2014 modern 440 #11,107
2015 modern 429 #11,252
2016 modern 410 #11,674

Geography

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Where Kenneallys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Thurrock, Manchester, Isle of Anglesey, Maldon and Central Bedfordshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Thurrock 008 Thurrock
2 Manchester 027 Manchester
3 Isle of Anglesey 005 Isle of Anglesey
4 Maldon 002 Maldon
5 Central Bedfordshire 030 Central Bedfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kenneally

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kenneally

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kenneally, 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 Kenneally surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Kenneally 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Kenneally is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kenneally is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kenneally falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kenneally 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 Kenneally, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kenneally

The surname Kenneally originated in Ireland and is derived from the Irish Gaelic name O'Cionnfhaolaidh, which means "descendant of the wolf-lover." This name is believed to have originated in County Cork in the 16th century.

The Kenneally family was one of the prominent septs (clans) in the region of West Muskerry, which is located in the modern-day county of Cork. They were a respected family with a long history in the area.

One of the earliest known references to the name Kenneally can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle that covers events in Ireland from the earliest times to 1616 AD. The text mentions a "Donough O'Kenealy" as the chief of the Kenneally clan in the year 1590.

In the 17th century, during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, many Kenneallys were among the Irish families who were dispossessed of their lands and forcibly transplanted to the province of Connacht. Despite these hardships, the name endured and continued to be prominent in various parts of Ireland.

One notable individual with the surname Kenneally was Bartholomew Kenneally (1828-1897), an Irish-born Catholic priest who served as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, in the United States. He played a significant role in the establishment and growth of the Catholic Church in that region.

Another notable Kenneally was John Kenneally (1879-1951), an Irish-born American businessman and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts from 1917 to 1923.

In the field of literature, Maureen Kenneally (born 1937) is a renowned Irish novelist and short story writer. Her works often explore themes of Irish identity and the complexities of family relationships.

Maurice Kenneally (1893-1961) was an Irish actor and playwright who gained recognition for his performances on stage and in films. He was particularly known for his roles in productions by the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.

Finally, Fintan Kenneally (1924-2002) was an Irish economist and academic who served as the President of University College Cork from 1978 to 1989. He made significant contributions to the field of economics and played a crucial role in the development of higher education in Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kenneally families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kenneally 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. Middlesex leads with 5 Kenneallys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.56x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 5 8.56x
Yorkshire 1 1.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ealing in Middlesex leads with 5 Kenneallys recorded in 1881 and an index of 961.54x.

Place Total Index
Ealing 5 961.54x
Leeds 1 30.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 1
Johannah 1
Norah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Edward 1
Michael 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kenneally households.

FAQ

Kenneally surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kenneally surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Kenneally surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kenneally surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 410 in 2016. That gives Kenneally a modern rank of #11,674.

What does the Kenneally surname mean?

Irish: from a Gaelic byname meaning brave-headed, bold chief.

What does the Kenneally map show?

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