Ken History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Ken history begins in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. Quite distinct from Devon, the adjoining county, Cornwall had its own spoken language until the late 18th century. The Ken history began here. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames were derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. The Ken family originally lived in Devon or Somerset at the village of Kenn. Alternatively the name could have been a nickname as in "le ken" for one who keeps dogs derived from the Old French "chien."

Early Origins of the Ken family

The surname Ken was first found in Kenn in either Devon or Somerset. The latter, was "the place that was for many generations the property of the Ken family, of whose manorial residence, now modernised, the moat is still discernible. Thomas Ken, their descendant, was created Bishop of Bath and Wells by Charles II., and was one of the seven prelates sent to the Tower by James II." 1

The first record of the family was Robert le Chein (Chen) who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1183 in Cornwall. Willelmus Chen, Canis was listed in the Liber Feodorum in Essex in 1212 and 1219. Henry le Kenne was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1337. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: Walter le Ken in Oxfordshire; Eborard le Ken in Cambridgeshire; and Thomas le Chene in Norfolk. Kirby's Quest lists both John de Ken and Walter de Ken in Somerset during the first year's reign of Edward I. 3 4

Early History of the Ken family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ken research. Another 180 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1170, 1176, 1332, 1637, 1685, 1711 and 1753 are included under the topic Early Ken History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ken Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Kenn, Ken, Kenne and others.

Early Notables of the Ken family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Thomas Ken (1637-1711), Bishop of Bath and Wells and hymn writer

Ken migration to the United States +

In the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Ken

Ken Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edward, Henry and Richard Ken, who, who sailed to Virginia in 1654
Edward Ken, who landed in Virginia in 1654 5
Hen Ken, who landed in Virginia in 1654 5
Richard Ken, who arrived in Virginia in 1654 5

Ken Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Ken, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 5
Fredrick Ken, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 5
Adam Ken to Charles Town, South Carolina in 1764
Lebreght Ken to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1786
Lefreght Ken, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1786 5

Ken Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Robert Ken, aged 28, who landed in New York, NY in 1822 5
Abraham Ken, aged 60, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1860 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Ken (post 1700) +

Andrew Ken Thomas (b. 1999), American football offensive tackle for the New York Giants of the National Football League
Sergeant Murray Ken Hudson (1938-1974), New Zealand soldier awarded the George Cross
Ken Sterling Poulsen (1947-2017), American professional baseball utility player
Ken Fritz (1957-2024), American college football player
Ken Paul Mink (b. 1935), American who, at the age of 73, is believed to be the oldest person ever to score in a college basketball game
Ken Kelsch (1947-2023), American cinematographer, teacher, and Vietnam veteran, known for his guerilla filmmaking style and for Bad Lieutenant (1992), The Last House on the Left (1972) and 100 Feet (2008)
Ken Lally (1971-2023), British actor known for his role in Mortal Kombat
Ken "Kim" Hansen (1951-2023), American politician, Member of the Montana Senate from 2003 to 2010
Ken Ober (1957-2009), born Kenneth Oberding, an American game show host, comedian, and actor, widely known for his role on the MTV game show Remote Control
Ken Buchanan MBE (1945-2023), Scottish professional boxer, World Lightweight Champion in 1971

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)