Show ContentsKeenam History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Irish names tend to vary widely in their spelling and overall form. The original Gaelic form of the name Keenam is Ó Cianain.

Early Origins of the Keenam family

The surname Keenam was first found in County Fermanagh (Irish: Fear Manach) in the southwestern part of Northern Ireland, Province of Ulster, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Keenam family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Keenam research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1600 and 1659 are included under the topic Early Keenam History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Keenam Spelling Variations

Within the archives researched, many different spelling variations of the surname Keenam were found. These included One reason for the many variations is that scribes and church officials often spelled an individual's name as it sounded. This imprecise method often led to many versions. Keenan, O'Keenan and others.

Early Notables of the Keenam family

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


United States Keenam migration to the United States +

During the 19th century thousands of impoverished Irish families made the long journey to British North America and the United States. These people were leaving a land that had become beset with poverty, lack of opportunity, and hunger. In North America, they hoped to find land, work, and political and religious freedoms. Although the majority of the immigrants that survived the long sea passage did make these discoveries, it was not without much perseverance and hard work: by the mid-19th century land suitable for agriculture was short supply, especially in British North America, in the east; the work available was generally low paying and physically taxing construction or factory work; and the English stereotypes concerning the Irish, although less frequent and vehement, were, nevertheless, present in the land of freedom, liberty, and equality for all men. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the Keenam family in North America:

Keenam Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Patrick Keenam, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1906
  • George Keenam, aged 38, who landed in America, in 1923


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