NameCensus.

UK surname

Kennington

A place name meaning "estate of the people of Ceninga" from Old English personal name and "tun" meaning settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 356 people recorded with the Kennington surname, ranking it #8,665 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 445, ranked #10,890, down from #8,665 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Caistor, Hull Holy Trinity and Clee. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Kingston upon Hull and High Peak.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kennington is 505 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.0%.

1881 census count

356

Ranked #8,665

Modern count

445

2016, ranked #10,890

Peak year

1997

505 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kennington had 356 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,665 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 445 in 2016, ranked #10,890.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 493 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kennington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kennington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kennington 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 254 #8,683
1861 historical 341 #7,479
1881 historical 356 #8,665
1891 historical 493 #7,514
1901 historical 428 #9,040
1911 historical 457 #8,397
1997 modern 505 #9,232
1998 modern 497 #9,638
1999 modern 487 #9,866
2000 modern 499 #9,653
2001 modern 487 #9,656
2002 modern 482 #9,906
2003 modern 461 #10,072
2004 modern 463 #10,074
2005 modern 465 #9,958
2006 modern 451 #10,221
2007 modern 464 #10,113
2008 modern 461 #10,235
2009 modern 465 #10,393
2010 modern 465 #10,618
2011 modern 463 #10,551
2012 modern 445 #10,753
2013 modern 454 #10,762
2014 modern 449 #10,926
2015 modern 444 #10,935
2016 modern 445 #10,890

Geography

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Where Kenningtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Caistor, Hull Holy Trinity, Clee, London parishes and Grimsby, Great. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Kingston upon Hull, High Peak, North Lincolnshire and Mendip. 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 Caistor Lincolnshire
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Clee Lincolnshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Grimsby, Great Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 004 Babergh
2 Kingston upon Hull 025 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 High Peak 001 High Peak
4 North Lincolnshire 018 North Lincolnshire
5 Mendip 008 Mendip

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kennington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kennington

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Kennington is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kennington is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kennington falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kennington

The surname Kennington is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the place name Kennington, which refers to various locations across England, including the well-known district in south London.

The name Kennington is believed to have originated from the Old English words "Cyninga" and "tun," which collectively translate to "the king's town" or "the town of the king's people." This suggests that some of the areas bearing this name may have been associated with royal ownership or governance during the Anglo-Saxon era.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Kennington can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landholdings and properties across England following the Norman Conquest. The entry refers to the manor of "Chenintun" in Surrey, which is believed to be the modern-day Kennington in London.

In the 13th century, records show an individual named Walter de Kenyngtone, who was a prominent figure in the city of London during the reign of King Henry III (1216-1272). This early use of the surname suggests that it had already become an established hereditary name by that time.

The name Kennington has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Sir John Kennington (c. 1370-1456), a prominent English soldier and landowner who fought in the Hundred Years' War and was knighted for his service to King Henry V.

Another individual of note was Sir William Kennington (c. 1440-1515), who served as a member of the Privy Council and as the Lord Treasurer of England under King Henry VIII. He played a significant role in the administration of the Tudor monarchy.

In the 16th century, Thomas Kennington (c. 1530-1592) was a notable English translator and poet. He is best known for his translations of works by Italian and French authors, including the works of Petrarch and Ronsard.

The name Kennington has also been associated with places of historical significance. For instance, the Kennington Park in London was once the site of a royal palace, and it hosted various significant events, including the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 and the execution of several rebels during the Cornish Uprising of 1497.

Over the centuries, the surname Kennington has undergone various spellings, including Kenington, Kenyngton, and Kenyngtone, reflecting the evolution of the English language and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kennington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kennington 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. Lincolnshire leads with 153 Kenningtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.25x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 153 27.25x
Yorkshire 82 2.36x
Kent 18 1.50x
Lancashire 16 0.38x
Middlesex 16 0.46x
Nottinghamshire 16 3.38x
Berkshire 12 4.55x
Hampshire 12 1.67x
Somerset 7 1.24x
Suffolk 7 1.64x
Surrey 5 0.29x
Huntingdonshire 4 5.74x
Channel Islands 3 2.88x
Devon 3 0.41x
Essex 2 0.29x
Oxfordshire 1 0.46x
Royal Navy 1 2.39x
Sussex 1 0.17x
Warwickshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Grimsby in Lincolnshire leads with 33 Kenningtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 92.59x.

Place Total Index
Great Grimsby 33 92.59x
Holy Trinity 29 34.65x
Caistor 17 762.33x
Sculcoates 14 25.38x
North Kyme 11 1309.52x
Southcoates 10 51.76x
Hulme 9 10.35x
Newington 9 93.95x
Scawby 9 483.87x
Binfield 8 396.04x
Clee With Weelsby 8 65.09x
Tonbridge 8 18.51x
Ulceby 8 583.94x
Yarm 8 446.93x
Radford 7 29.12x
Elmsett 6 1153.85x
Market Rasen 6 191.08x
North Kelsey 6 594.06x
Aylesby 5 3846.15x
Boston 5 29.36x
Brading 5 52.25x
Arnold 4 57.89x
Bethnal Green London 4 2.62x
Canterbury St Alphage 4 312.50x
Fletton 4 179.37x
Greenwich 4 7.16x
Kirton In Lindsey 4 180.18x
Laceby 4 327.87x
Strubby 4 1142.86x
Weston 4 91.95x
Alford 3 86.21x
Holton Le Moor 3 1428.57x
Kensington London 3 1.54x
Plymouth Charles The 3 9.32x
St Pancras London 3 1.06x
Sunninghill 3 81.97x
Thirsk 3 74.81x
Thornton In Fylde 3 32.89x
Whippingham 3 55.05x
Withern 3 545.45x
Battersea 2 1.55x
Billinghay 2 115.61x
Brightside Bierlow 2 2.93x
Chatham 2 6.07x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 2.83x
Gainsborough 2 15.11x
Hornchurch 2 58.82x
Newark Upon Trent 2 11.76x
Newchurch 2 5.87x
Ordsall 2 55.25x
St Clement 2 126.58x
St Luke London 2 3.55x
Waddington 2 194.17x
Walcot 2 6.64x
Wrawby 2 131.58x
Acomb 1 54.95x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 1 3.08x
Barton St Mary 1 35.46x
Barton St Peter 1 38.91x
Bonchurch 1 123.46x
Caterham 1 13.23x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.51x
Fordingbridge 1 25.58x
Hackney London 1 0.51x
Henley On Thames 1 22.52x
Holdenhurst 1 5.30x
Ingham 1 138.89x
Islington London 1 0.29x
Newington 1 0.77x
Northwood 1 9.76x
Royal Navy 1 2.80x
Scunthorpe 1 39.53x
South Elkington 1 232.56x
South Owersby 1 909.09x
South Reston 1 344.83x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 6.58x
St Peterat Arches 1 156.25x
Sutton Coldfield 1 10.74x
Wakefield 1 3.74x
Wokingham 1 16.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 15
Sarah 14
Ann 12
Ellen 6
Jane 6
Lucy 6
Annie 5
Eliza 5
Alice 4
Charlotte 4
Emma 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Kate 4
Maria 4
Caroline 3
Hannah 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Elizth 2
Harriet 2
Lily 2
Olivia 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Susanna 2
Susannah 2
Angelina 1
Barbara 1
Bertha 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Emily 1
Eve 1
Ida 1
Infant 1
Jesse 1
Leauchia 1
Levina 1
Lillia 1
Lilly 1
Margeral 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 20
John 17
William 15
Charles 11
James 9
Thomas 9
Henry 8
David 6
Edward 5
Albert 4
Arthur 3
Frederick 3
Job 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Holtby 2
Paul 2
Wm. 2
Azias 1
Bennet 1
Charley 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Ellerby 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
G. 1
Harry 1
J. 1
J.H. 1
Jas. 1
Jonathan 1
Jonathon 1
Josh. 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Michael 1
Nathan 1
Obediah 1
Samuel 1
Simeon 1
Sydney 1
T.B. 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Wallace 1
Wallis 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Kennington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kennington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 356 people were recorded with the Kennington surname. That placed it at #8,665 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kennington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 445 in 2016. That gives Kennington a modern rank of #10,890.

What does the Kennington surname mean?

A place name meaning "estate of the people of Ceninga" from Old English personal name and "tun" meaning settlement.

What does the Kennington map show?

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