NameCensus.

UK surname

Kennie

A Scottish surname derived from an Irish Gaelic nickname meaning "handsome".

In the 1881 census there were 66 people recorded with the Kennie surname, ranking it #24,256 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 149, ranked #23,844, up from #24,256 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Hull Holy Trinity and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broxburn Kirkhill, IZ11 and Stroud.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kennie is 226 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 125.8%.

1881 census count

66

Ranked #24,256

Modern count

149

2016, ranked #23,844

Peak year

1891

226 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kennie had 66 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,256 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016, ranked #23,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 226 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Kennie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kennie surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kennie 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 92 #18,050
1861 historical 165 #14,112
1881 historical 66 #24,256
1891 historical 226 #13,668
1901 historical 222 #14,169
1911 historical 52 #27,620
1997 modern 120 #24,158
1998 modern 121 #24,677
1999 modern 129 #23,907
2000 modern 131 #23,672
2001 modern 127 #23,781
2002 modern 137 #23,198
2003 modern 134 #23,260
2004 modern 138 #22,997
2005 modern 146 #22,146
2006 modern 155 #21,477
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 151 #22,323
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 144 #24,147
2011 modern 147 #23,627
2012 modern 133 #25,187
2013 modern 141 #24,670
2014 modern 146 #24,274
2015 modern 147 #24,036
2016 modern 149 #23,844

Geography

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Where Kennies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Hull Holy Trinity, Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broxburn Kirkhill, IZ11, Stroud, Guildford and Sheffield. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broxburn Kirkhill West Lothian
2 IZ11 East Lothian
3 Stroud 013 Stroud
4 Guildford 011 Guildford
5 Sheffield 020 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kennie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kennie

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Kennie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Kennie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kennie 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

Kennie is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Kennie

The surname KENNIE originated in Scotland, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "cionadh," meaning "deceit" or "guile," which may have been used to describe the cunning nature of an ancestor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of written submissions of homage to King Edward I of England from Scottish noblemen and landowners. The name is listed as "Kenni," suggesting a slight variation in spelling from the modern form.

During the 16th century, the KENNIE surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Ayrshire and Dumfriesshire, where it was often associated with families of modest means or those engaged in agricultural pursuits.

In the late 17th century, a notable bearer of the KENNIE name was Robert Kennie (1637-1712), a Scottish minister who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1690.

Another notable figure was James Kennie (1780-1854), a Scottish poet and essayist who contributed to various literary publications of his time, including the Edinburgh Review and Blackwood's Magazine.

In the 19th century, the KENNIE surname gained some prominence in the United States, with William Kennie (1815-1897), a Scottish-born architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Gilsey House and the former Union Trust Company Building.

John Kennie (1822-1895), a Scottish-born civil engineer, also made significant contributions to public works projects in the United States, particularly in the design and construction of water supply systems in several major cities.

Lastly, in the early 20th century, Alexander Kennie (1867-1943), a Scottish-born architect, gained recognition for his work in designing several churches and public buildings in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kennie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kennie 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. Yorkshire leads with 10 Kennies recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.59x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 10 1.59x
Lancashire 8 1.06x
Kincardineshire 7 90.67x
Ayrshire 6 12.65x
Kent 6 2.77x
Lanarkshire 6 2.93x
Middlesex 4 0.63x
Midlothian 4 4.71x
Renfrewshire 4 8.14x
Stirlingshire 2 8.55x
Angus 1 1.70x
Banffshire 1 7.60x
Bedfordshire 1 3.05x
Caernarfonshire 1 3.90x
Cornwall 1 1.39x
East Lothian 1 11.90x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 10.89x
Warwickshire 1 0.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 9 Kennies recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.56x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 9 59.56x
Dunnottar 6 1111.11x
Govan 6 11.83x
Gravesend 6 327.87x
Maybole 6 416.67x
Sutton 6 238.10x
South Leith 4 41.84x
St Pancras London 4 7.84x
Middle Greenock 3 223.88x
Birmingham 1 1.88x
Brechin 1 43.29x
Dewsbury 1 15.53x
Falkirk 1 18.28x
Fetteresso 1 82.64x
Gamrie 1 68.03x
Haddington 1 80.65x
Leighton Buzzard 1 70.92x
Llanrug 1 149.25x
Manchester 1 2.96x
Oldham 1 4.12x
St Blazey 1 158.73x
Stirling 1 33.90x
Troqueer 1 83.33x
West Greenock 1 11.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Elizabeth 2
Martha 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Jannet 1
Lily 1
Margaret 1
Nellie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
David 1
Edward 1
George 1
Henry 1
John 1
Thomos 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 Kennie households.

FAQ

Kennie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kennie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 66 people were recorded with the Kennie surname. That placed it at #24,256 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kennie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016. That gives Kennie a modern rank of #23,844.

What does the Kennie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from an Irish Gaelic nickname meaning "handsome".

What does the Kennie map show?

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