NameCensus.

UK surname

Kenney

Irish: descendant of Cionaodha, referring to a brave or fearless warrior; or an anglicized form of Ó Cionnaith, meaning "descendant of Cionnaith."

In the 1881 census there were 1,646 people recorded with the Kenney surname, ranking it #2,606 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,819, ranked #3,487, down from #2,606 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whetstone, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rugby, County Durham and Blaby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kenney is 1,879 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.5%.

1881 census count

1,646

Ranked #2,606

Modern count

1,819

2016, ranked #3,487

Peak year

1999

1,879 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kenney had 1,646 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,606 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,819 in 2016, ranked #3,487.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,726 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kenney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kenney surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kenney 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 919 #3,001
1861 historical 1,127 #2,488
1881 historical 1,646 #2,606
1891 historical 1,516 #2,914
1901 historical 1,520 #3,384
1911 historical 1,726 #2,838
1997 modern 1,803 #3,327
1998 modern 1,840 #3,390
1999 modern 1,879 #3,355
2000 modern 1,854 #3,372
2001 modern 1,778 #3,422
2002 modern 1,832 #3,407
2003 modern 1,790 #3,408
2004 modern 1,771 #3,445
2005 modern 1,681 #3,575
2006 modern 1,654 #3,630
2007 modern 1,700 #3,573
2008 modern 1,721 #3,561
2009 modern 1,791 #3,520
2010 modern 1,837 #3,507
2011 modern 1,787 #3,552
2012 modern 1,772 #3,521
2013 modern 1,824 #3,495
2014 modern 1,846 #3,481
2015 modern 1,831 #3,480
2016 modern 1,819 #3,487

Geography

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Where Kenneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whetstone, London parishes, Manchester, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rugby, County Durham, Blaby and Carlisle. 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 Whetstone Leicestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rugby 004 Rugby
2 County Durham 021 County Durham
3 Blaby 013 Blaby
4 Carlisle 011 Carlisle
5 Blaby 010 Blaby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kenney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kenney

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kenney, 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 Kenney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kenney 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, Kenney 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

Kenney is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kenney 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 Kenney 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 Kenney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kenney

The surname Kenney is of Irish origin, with roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is a variant spelling of the more common Irish surname Kennedy, which is derived from the Gaelic name Ó Cinnéidigh, meaning "descendant of the ugly-headed one."

The name Kenney is believed to have originated in County Tipperary, Ireland, where it was first recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled by Franciscan monks in the 17th century. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was "O'Kenedy," which later evolved into various forms such as Kenedy, Kennedie, and eventually Kenney.

One notable historical figure with the surname Kenney was Sir Robert Kenney (1599-1672), an Irish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1660 to 1672. He played a significant role in the establishment of the English legal system in Ireland during the 17th century.

Another prominent individual was James Kenney (1780-1849), an Irish dramatist and novelist who wrote several successful plays, including "Raising the Wind" and "Sweethearts and Wives." He was also known for his satirical works and his contributions to the literary scene in London during the early 19th century.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Kenney can be found in the 17th century with the arrival of John Kenney, an Irish immigrant who settled in Maryland in the 1670s. His descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of the country.

One notable American with the surname Kenney was Nicholas Kenney (1781-1837), a businessman and politician from New Jersey who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1823 to 1825.

Another significant figure was Michael Kenney (1854-1921), an Irish-born American labor leader who played a prominent role in the early 20th century labor movement. He was the founder and first president of the United Association of Plumbers, Gas Fitters, Steam Fitters, and Steam Fitters' Helpers, a major trade union in the United States.

The surname Kenney has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Kenneyswell in County Tipperary and Kenneyville in County Sligo, further solidifying its Irish roots and historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kenney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kenney 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 363 Kenneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.90x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 363 1.90x
Leicestershire 229 12.84x
Yorkshire 200 1.25x
Middlesex 131 0.81x
Warwickshire 92 2.27x
Durham 57 1.19x
Lanarkshire 52 1.00x
Cheshire 47 1.32x
Staffordshire 46 0.85x
Surrey 44 0.56x
Flintshire 38 8.79x
Lincolnshire 33 1.28x
Norfolk 31 1.25x
Derbyshire 27 1.07x
Hertfordshire 22 1.98x
Hampshire 21 0.64x
Nottinghamshire 17 0.78x
Northumberland 14 0.59x
Kent 13 0.24x
Midlothian 13 0.60x
Northamptonshire 13 0.86x
East Lothian 11 5.16x
Renfrewshire 11 0.88x
Cumberland 10 0.72x
Essex 10 0.31x
Stirlingshire 10 1.69x
Worcestershire 10 0.48x
Angus 9 0.60x
Dunbartonshire 9 2.08x
Cornwall 6 0.33x
Gloucestershire 6 0.19x
Somerset 6 0.23x
Sussex 6 0.22x
Bedfordshire 5 0.60x
Devon 5 0.15x
Glamorgan 5 0.18x
Monmouthshire 5 0.43x
Suffolk 5 0.26x
Morayshire 4 1.60x
Perthshire 3 0.42x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.63x
Isle of Man 2 0.67x
Ayrshire 1 0.08x
Buteshire 1 1.03x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.10x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.75x
Denbighshire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 0.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whetstone in Leicestershire leads with 66 Kenneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1010.72x.

Place Total Index
Whetstone 66 1010.72x
Leicester St Margaret 59 13.57x
Liverpool 55 4.74x
Manchester 47 5.48x
Leeds 35 3.89x
Leicester St Mary 30 20.82x
Birmingham 29 2.15x
West Derby 26 4.66x
Flint 24 97.76x
Govan 21 1.63x
Luddington 20 607.90x
Sheffield 19 3.74x
Battersea 18 3.04x
Hulme 17 4.27x
Wednesbury 16 11.79x
Hackney London 15 1.66x
Wigan 15 5.62x
Barrow In Furness 14 5.39x
Nottingham St Mary 14 2.50x
Spotland 14 6.60x
St George In East London 14 9.25x
Widnes 14 10.17x
Aston 13 1.16x
Kirkdale 13 4.05x
Portsea 13 2.01x
Barony 12 0.91x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 12 5.79x
Little Bolton 12 4.89x
Bethnal Green London 11 1.57x
Birkenhead 11 3.89x
Castleford 11 18.95x
Downham Market 11 64.74x
Glasgow 11 1.19x
Linthorpe 11 11.56x
Mile End Old Town London 11 3.21x
Almondbury 10 12.97x
Bow London 10 4.88x
Bradford 10 2.59x
Countesthorpe 10 164.47x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 10 79.74x
Stranton 10 6.21x
Sunderland 10 11.83x
Blackburn 9 1.77x
Brinklow 9 208.33x
Campsie 9 27.64x
Hyde 9 8.59x
Mancetter 9 77.12x
Newnham Regis 9 1406.25x
North Shields 9 18.84x
Saddleworth 9 7.32x
St Marylebone London 9 1.05x
Yelvertoft 9 323.74x
Batley 8 5.28x
Derby St Werburgh 8 5.50x
Dudley 8 3.13x
Gorton 8 4.46x
Islington London 8 0.51x
Pendleton In Salford 8 3.52x
Belgrave 7 17.39x
Berwick North 7 46.92x
Blaby 7 97.49x
Burbage 7 75.19x
Chelsea London 7 1.44x
Clapham 7 3.48x
Dundee 7 1.26x
East Greenock 7 5.95x
Essendon 7 208.96x
Everton 7 1.15x
Harpurhey 7 26.43x
Hinckley 7 16.55x
Leicester All Sts 7 19.99x
Monkwearmouth Shore 7 7.49x
Rugby 7 12.76x
St Asaph 7 81.59x
Stockport 7 3.83x
Upper Hallam 7 50.54x
Walmersley Cum 7 22.95x
Whitwood 7 30.92x
Windle 7 6.52x
Newton In Ashton Under 6 17.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 111
Thomas 83
William 59
James 55
Patrick 39
George 38
Michael 27
Edward 26
Joseph 24
Charles 23
Henry 23
Robert 14
Martin 13
Richard 12
Alfred 10
Peter 10
Thos. 8
Arthur 7
Albert 6
David 6
Herbert 6
Francis 5
Lawrence 5
Tom 5
Daniel 4
Frederick 4
Walter 4
Dennis 3
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Geo. 3
Harry 3
Luke 3
Mark 3
Timothy 3
Bernard 2
Christopher 2
Denis 2
Edwd. 2
Frank 2
Horatio 2
Isaac 2
Laurence 2
Reuben 2
Samuel 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Terrih 2
Willie 2
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Kenney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kenney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,646 people were recorded with the Kenney surname. That placed it at #2,606 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kenney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,819 in 2016. That gives Kenney a modern rank of #3,487.

What does the Kenney surname mean?

Irish: descendant of Cionaodha, referring to a brave or fearless warrior; or an anglicized form of Ó Cionnaith, meaning "descendant of Cionnaith."

What does the Kenney map show?

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