NameCensus.

UK surname

Kernohan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic personal name Cearnachain, meaning "son of the victorious one."

In the 1881 census there were 34 people recorded with the Kernohan surname, ranking it #28,837 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 215, ranked #18,670, up from #28,837 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gateshead, County Durham and Logie and Blackness.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kernohan is 242 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 532.4%.

1881 census count

34

Ranked #28,837

Modern count

215

2016, ranked #18,670

Peak year

2010

242 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kernohan had 34 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,837 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 215 in 2016, ranked #18,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 72 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Kernohan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kernohan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kernohan 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
1861 historical 2 #34,135
1881 historical 34 #28,837
1891 historical 72 #27,804
1901 historical 57 #27,846
1911 historical 37 #29,263
1997 modern 210 #17,104
1998 modern 219 #17,115
1999 modern 223 #17,025
2000 modern 222 #17,032
2001 modern 221 #16,848
2002 modern 241 #16,243
2003 modern 229 #16,601
2004 modern 232 #16,539
2005 modern 236 #16,286
2006 modern 222 #17,092
2007 modern 224 #17,193
2008 modern 232 #16,931
2009 modern 229 #17,431
2010 modern 242 #17,138
2011 modern 217 #18,271
2012 modern 206 #18,837
2013 modern 214 #18,671
2014 modern 215 #18,764
2015 modern 215 #18,659
2016 modern 215 #18,670

Geography

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Where Kernohans 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 Gateshead, County Durham, Logie and Blackness, Mid Sussex and Stratford-on-Avon. 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 Gateshead 014 Gateshead
2 County Durham 026 County Durham
3 Logie and Blackness Dundee City
4 Mid Sussex 002 Mid Sussex
5 Stratford-on-Avon 015 Stratford-on-Avon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kernohan

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kernohan

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Kernohan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Kernohan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kernohan 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

Kernohan is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kernohan 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 Kernohan 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Kernohan

The surname Kernohan originated in the Gaelic language and has its roots in Ireland and Scotland. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "carn" meaning "cairn" or "heap of stones" and "achadh" meaning "field" or "pasture." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a cairn or a field with a cairn.

The earliest known record of the name can be traced back to the 16th century, with mentions of the Kernohan family in County Antrim, Ireland. One notable figure from this period was John Kernohan, born around 1580, who was a landowner in the parish of Ahoghill, County Antrim.

In the 17th century, the Kernohan family spread to other parts of Ireland, with records showing them in counties such as Down and Armagh. During this time, the name was also found in Scotland, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name in Scotland was James Kernohan, born in 1642 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. He was a merchant and landowner, and his descendants continued to live in the area for several generations.

In the 18th century, the name Kernohan began to appear in historical records in North America, as members of the family emigrated from Ireland and Scotland to settle in various parts of the United States and Canada. One notable figure from this period was William Kernohan, born in 1755 in County Antrim, Ireland. He served as a soldier in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Pennsylvania.

Another prominent individual bearing the Kernohan surname was John Kernohan, born in 1819 in County Down, Ireland. He was a successful businessman and industrialist who founded the Kernohan Woollen Mills in Armagh, which became a major employer in the region.

In the 19th century, the Kernohan name continued to spread across North America, with families settling in various states and provinces. One notable figure from this period was Robert Kernohan, born in 1845 in County Antrim, Ireland. He was a prominent educator and served as the principal of several schools in Ontario, Canada.

Throughout its history, the Kernohan surname has been associated with various occupations, including landowners, merchants, soldiers, industrialists, and educators. While the name has its origins in Ireland and Scotland, it has since become widely dispersed across the globe, with Kernohan families found in many countries today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kernohan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kernohan 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. Lanarkshire leads with 27 Kernohans recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.18x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 27 25.18x
Northumberland 5 10.14x
Durham 1 1.01x
Renfrewshire 1 3.89x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 17 Kernohans recorded in 1881 and an index of 89.29x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 17 89.29x
Barony 5 18.42x
Elswick 5 126.90x
Govan 5 18.85x
Collierley 1 227.27x
East Greenock 1 41.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ageness 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2

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 Kernohan households.

Occupation Count
Coalminer 1
Gas Stoker 1

FAQ

Kernohan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kernohan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 34 people were recorded with the Kernohan surname. That placed it at #28,837 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kernohan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 215 in 2016. That gives Kernohan a modern rank of #18,670.

What does the Kernohan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic personal name Cearnachain, meaning "son of the victorious one."

What does the Kernohan map show?

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