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Kenney History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Kenney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland-Alt
Ireland

The Kenney surname in Ireland comes from the Gaelic Ó Coinnigh, which was an old Irish first name, made popular by a 6th century monk of the name, whose "church of Coinneach" became the name of the town Kilkenny.

Early Origins of the Kenney family

The surname Kenney was first found in counties Galway and Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) located in central Ireland in the province of Connacht.

Early History of the Kenney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kenney research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kenney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kenney Spelling Variations

Before widespread literacy came to Ireland, a name was often recorded under several different variations during the life of its bearer. Accordingly, numerous spelling variations were revealed in the search for the origin of the name Kenney family name. Variations found include Kenny, O'Kenny, Kenney, Kennie and others.

Early Notables of the Kenney family

More information is included under the topic Early Kenney Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kenney Ranking

In the United States, the name Kenney is the 1,348^th most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 1 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Kenney is ranked the 761^st most popular surname with an estimated 56 people with that name. 2

Kenney migration to the United States +

Thousands of Irish families left for North American shores in the 19th century. These people were searching for a life unencumbered with poverty, hunger, and racial discrimination. Many arrived to eventually find such conditions, but many others simply did not arrive: victims of the diseased, overcrowded ships in which they traveled to the New World. Those who lived to see North American shores were instrumental in the development of the growing nations of Canada and the United States. A thorough examination of passenger and immigration lists has disclosed evidence of many early immigrants of the name Kenney:

Kenney Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Roger Kenney, who landed in Virginia in 1638 3
Richard Kenney, who arrived in New Hampshire in 1680 3

Kenney Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Daniel Kenney, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1763 3
Brice Kenney, who arrived in Delaware in 1775 3

Kenney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Patrick Kenney, aged 39, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 3
Peter Kenney, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 3
Catherine Kenney, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 3
Alice Kenney, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 3
John Kenney, who arrived in New York in 1818 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kenney migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kenney Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Ms. Kenney Sarah U.E. who settled in St. Andrews, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 smember of the Penobscot Association 4

Kenney Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Hiram Kenney, who arrived in Canada in 1841

Kenney migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Kenney Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Cornelius Kenney, (Kenny), (b. 1794), aged 26, Irish mason who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for life for forgery, transported aboard the "Dorothy" on 5th May 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
George Kenney, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on February 22, 1834, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 6
Miss Elizabeth Kenney, English convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 22nd January 1846, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Michael Kenney, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hooghly" in 1846 8
Michael Kenney, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Bruce" in 1846 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Kenney (post 1700) +

Anne R. Kenney (1950-2022), American librarian and archivist known for her work in digital preservation
Edward Kamanaloha Kenney Jr. (1933-2018), American singer and actor from Hawaii
Allen "Skip" Kenney, American head coach of the men's swimming team at Stanford University from 1979 to 2012
Richard L. Kenney (b. 1948), American award winning poet and professor of English at the University of Washington
Richard Rolland Kenney (1856-1931), American lawyer and politician from Laurel, Delaware, United States Senator from Delaware (1897-1901)
H Wesley Kenney, American producer and director
Padraic Jeremiah Kenney, American professor of history at Indiana University
General George Churchill Kenney (1889-1977), American general in U.S. Air Force, commander of the Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific in WWII 10
Douglas Kenney (b. 1947), American humorist, writer, who co-founded "National Lampoon" magazine in 1969
Peter James Kenney (1779-1841), Irish Jesuit who died in Rome
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Kenney family +

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Arthur Henry Lawrence Kenney (1903-1941), Australian Chief Petty Officer from Parkside, South Australia, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 11

RMS Lusitania

Mrs. Margaret Kenney, Irish 2nd Class passenger residing in Charlestown, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 12
Miss Mary Bridget Kenney, Irish 2nd Class passenger residing in Charlestown, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 12

The Kenney Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Teneat luceat floreat
Motto Translation: May it hold an shine.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dorothy
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1834 with 230 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1834
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HOOGHLY 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Hooghly.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LADY BRUCE 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846LadyBruce.htm
George Kenney. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) George Kenney. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Kenney
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/