NameCensus.

UK surname

Kennison

Derived from the medieval German name Kenrich, meaning "brave ruler" or "royal ruler."

In the 1881 census there were 61 people recorded with the Kennison surname, ranking it #24,992 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 92, ranked #32,035, down from #24,992 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ibstock, London parishes and Ealing, Chiswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North West Leicestershire, Isle of Wight and Castle Point.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kennison is 145 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.8%.

1881 census count

61

Ranked #24,992

Modern count

92

2016, ranked #32,035

Peak year

1891

145 bearers

Map years

4

1861 to 2006

Key insights

  • Kennison had 61 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,992 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 92 in 2016, ranked #32,035.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 145 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Kennison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kennison surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kennison 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 76 #20,127
1861 historical 111 #19,429
1881 historical 61 #24,992
1891 historical 145 #18,752
1901 historical 77 #25,627
1911 historical 88 #24,041
1997 modern 98 #27,179
1998 modern 104 #26,981
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 101 #27,555
2001 modern 102 #27,093
2002 modern 100 #27,944
2003 modern 98 #28,046
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 99 #28,177
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 103 #28,187
2008 modern 108 #27,684
2009 modern 111 #27,846
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 104 #29,424
2012 modern 93 #31,409
2013 modern 93 #31,785
2014 modern 98 #31,370
2015 modern 96 #31,624
2016 modern 92 #32,035

Geography

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Where Kennisons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ibstock, London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Henstridge. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North West Leicestershire, Isle of Wight and Castle Point. 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 Ibstock Leicestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Henstridge Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North West Leicestershire 013 North West Leicestershire
2 North West Leicestershire 011 North West Leicestershire
3 Isle of Wight 012 Isle of Wight
4 Castle Point 007 Castle Point
5 Castle Point 009 Castle Point

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kennison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kennison

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Kennison is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kennison 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

Kennison falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kennison is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kennison

The surname Kennison is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "cyn" meaning "royal" or "kin," and "sunu" meaning "son." It is believed to have originated in the county of Dorset, England, during the Anglo-Saxon period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kennison can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Chenisun." This historical record suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Kennison was often spelled in various ways, such as "Kennyson," "Kenison," and "Kennisson." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

In the 14th century, a notable individual with the surname Kennison was Sir William Kennison, a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War between England and France. He was born in 1320 and died in 1389.

Another prominent figure bearing the name Kennison was John Kennison, a member of the English Parliament during the reign of King Henry VI in the mid-15th century. He represented the borough of Dorchester, Dorset, from 1445 to 1460.

During the 16th century, the surname Kennison was associated with the village of Kennison, located in the county of Dorset. This place name likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname itself.

In the 17th century, a notable individual named Thomas Kennison (1630-1689) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol, England. He played a significant role in the development of the city's trade and economy.

In the 18th century, the surname Kennison was found in various parts of England, including Dorset, Somerset, and Devon. One notable figure from this period was William Kennison (1743-1815), a poet and essayist who published several works on literature and philosophy.

As the centuries passed, the Kennison surname spread to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to various parts of the world through migration and colonization. Despite its geographical spread, the name retained its English roots and connection to the county of Dorset.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kennison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kennison 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. Hampshire leads with 12 Kennisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.84x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 12 9.84x
Surrey 12 4.14x
Somerset 10 10.45x
Dorset 4 10.25x
Lancashire 4 0.57x
Middlesex 4 0.67x
Lanarkshire 3 1.56x
Northumberland 3 3.39x
Angus 2 3.63x
Yorkshire 2 0.34x
Derbyshire 1 1.07x
Durham 1 0.57x
Fife 1 2.84x
Kent 1 0.49x
Wiltshire 1 1.90x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mortlake in Surrey leads with 9 Kennisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 697.67x.

Place Total Index
Mortlake 9 697.67x
Henstridge 7 2692.31x
Titchfield 7 760.87x
Holdenhurst 5 156.25x
Hinton St Mary 4 6666.67x
Paddington London 4 18.29x
Chilthorne Domer 3 7500.00x
East Hartford 3 15000.00x
New Monkland 3 52.72x
Newington 3 13.66x
Dundee 2 9.72x
Beswick 1 2000.00x
Devizes St Mary 1 188.68x
Halewood 1 263.16x
Howden 1 250.00x
Prescot 1 78.13x
St Leonards 1 625.00x
Toxteth Park 1 4.18x
Trimdon 1 158.73x
Whitwell 1 270.27x
Woolwich 1 13.33x
Worsley 1 22.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Mary 4
Charlotte 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Harriet 1
Kitty 1
Louise 1
Margarat 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

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 Kennison households.

FAQ

Kennison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kennison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 61 people were recorded with the Kennison surname. That placed it at #24,992 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kennison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 92 in 2016. That gives Kennison a modern rank of #32,035.

What does the Kennison surname mean?

Derived from the medieval German name Kenrich, meaning "brave ruler" or "royal ruler."

What does the Kennison map show?

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