Contents [hide]

Kenyon History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Kenyon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Kenyon is a name whose history is connected to the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Kenyon family once lived in the township of Kenyon found in the parish of Winwick in the county of Lancashire. 1

Early Origins of the Kenyon family

The surname Kenyon was first found in Lancashire where Lord Kenyon's family are descended from the Kenyons of Peele and their surname is doubtless derived from the township of Kenyon in that shire. 2

"Early mention is made of a family of the local name, and also of the Lauton family, of whom Jordan de Lauton, in the reign of Edward I., assumed the name of Kenyon. Kenyon Hall, the original residence of the Kenyons, was rebuilt in the 17th century, and is the property of the earl [of Wilton]. " 1

Lowton in Lancashire "gave name to a family who subsequently adopted the surname of Kenyon from their possessions in a neighbouring township." 1

Early History of the Kenyon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kenyon research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1812, 1848 and 1869 are included under the topic Early Kenyon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kenyon Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Kenyon family name include Kenyon, Kenion, Kennion and others.

Early Notables of the Kenyon family

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

Kenyon Ranking

In the United States, the name Kenyon is the 2,666^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Kenyon family to Ireland

Some of the Kenyon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kenyon migration to the United States +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Kenyon surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Kenyon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Henry Kenyon, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1795

Kenyon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Kenyon, who arrived in New York, NY in 1834 4
William Kenyon, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1835 4
B Kenyon, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 4
W J Kenyon, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 4
Lewis Kenyon, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kenyon migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kenyon Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. Michael Kenyon, aged 12 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Avon" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in July 1847 5

Kenyon migration to Australia +

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

Kenyon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Richard Kenyon, British Convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Caledonia" on 5th July 1820, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
Thomas Kenyon, English convict from Staffordshire, who was transported aboard the "America" on April 4, 1829, settling in New South Wales, Australia 7
Mr. Samuel Kenyon, (b. 1817), aged 23, English labourer who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 21 years for house breaking, transported aboard the "Eden" on 8th July 1840, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he was executed in 1846 for being part of the Cooking Pot Riot 8
Mr. Joseph Kenyon who was convicted in Preston, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duchess of Northumberland" on 1st October 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
John Kenyon, aged 25, a cloth dresser, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Brankenmoor" 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kenyon migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Kenyon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

E.P. Kenyon, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Egmont" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th June 1858 11
Mary Kenyon, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Black Eagle" in 1861 12
Rose Kenyon, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Black Eagle" in 1861 12
Miss Mary Kenyon, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Black Eagle" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th November 1861 11
Miss Rose Kenyon, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Black Eagle" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th November 1861 11

Contemporary Notables of the name Kenyon (post 1700) +

Sherrilyn Kenyon (b. 1965), born in Columbus, Georgia, born as Sherrilyn Woodward McQueen, an American bestselling writer, known for the Dark Hunter Series as well as paranormal historical romance novels
Jane Kenyon (1947-1955), American poet and translator
William Squire Kenyon (1869-1933), U.S. Senator from Iowa, co-author of the Webb-Kenyon Act (1913) which prohibited the shipment of intoxicating beverages in interstate commerce
Dorothy Kenyon (1888-1972), American lawyer, judge, feminist and political activist
Charles H. Kenyon, American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Groton, 1915-16 13
Charles E. Kenyon, American politician, Mayor of Somerville, New Jersey 13
Charles C. Kenyon, American politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for New Jersey, 1912; Chair of Somerset County Progressive Party, 1914 13
Charles Kenyon, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Niagara County 1st District, 1920 13
Mrs. Cecil C. Kenyon, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1956 (alternate), 1960, 1964 13
Benn Kenyon, American Republican politician, Cayuga County District Attorney; Justice of New York Supreme Court 7th District, 1933-43; Delegate to New York State Constitutional Convention 42nd District, 1938 13
... (Another 30 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Kenyon family +

HMS Cornwall

Graeme Alexander Bruce Kenyon (d. 1942), British Able Seaman aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 14

RMS Titanic

Mrs. Marion Kenyon, (née Stauffer), aged 31, American First Class passenger from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping in life boat 8 15
Mr. Frederick R. Kenyon (d. 1912), aged 41, American First Class passenger from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 15

The Kenyon 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: Magnanimiter crucem sustine
Motto Translation: Sustain the cross (i.e. support afflictions) with magnanimity.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 38)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 26) America voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1829 with 176 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/america/1829
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th October 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duchess-of-northumberland
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The BRANKEN MOOR 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849BrankenMoor.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html