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![Show Contents]() Kennerleigh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The proud Kennerleigh family originated in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. The Kennerleigh family originally lived in Devon, in the parish of Kennerleigh. Early Origins of the Kennerleigh familyThe surname Kennerleigh was first found in Devon, where they held a family seat from very early times. Early History of the Kennerleigh familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kennerleigh research. Another 213 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1243, 1500, 1661, 1746 and 1798 are included under the topic Early Kennerleigh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Kennerleigh Spelling VariationsCornish 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 Kenerley, Kenerly, Kennerley, Kennerly, Kennerleigh, Kenerleigh, Kenardely and many more. Early Notables of the Kennerleigh familyMore information is included under the topic Early Kennerleigh Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Kennerleigh familyA look at the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Kennerleigh: Plule Kennerly, who sailed to Delaware in 1637. James Kennerly sailed to Pennsylvania in 1682 and Everton Kennerly journeyed to Texas in 1830.
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