McKennon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

The original Gaelic form of McKennon was Mac Cionaoith.

Early Origins of the McKennon family

The surname McKennon was first found in County Monaghan (Irish: Muineachán) located in the Northern part of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Ulster, at Truagh where they were known as the Lords of Truagh.

Early History of the McKennon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McKennon research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1544 is included under the topic Early McKennon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McKennon Spelling Variations

People who were accounted for by scribes and church officials often had their name recorded many different ways because pronunciation was the only guide those scribes and church officials had to go by. This resulted in the problem of one person's name being recorded under several different variations, creating the illusion of more than one person. Among the many spelling variations of the surname McKennon that are preserved in archival documents are MacKenna, MacKennagh, MacKenney, MacKenny, MacKinna, MacKinnie and many more.

Early Notables of the McKennon family

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

McKennon migration to Canada +

Irish families left their homeland in astonishing numbers during the 19th century in search of a better life. Although individual reasons vary, most of these Irish families suffered from extreme poverty, lack of work opportunities, and exorbitant rents in their homeland. Many decided to travel to Australia or North America in the hopes of finding greater opportunities and land. The Irish immigrants that came to North America initially settled on the East Coast, often in major centers such as Boston or New York. But like the many other cultures to settle in North America, the Irish traveled to almost any region they felt held greater promise; as a result, many Irish with gold fever moved all the way out to the Pacific coast. Others before that time left for land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula, or the Maritimes as United Empire Loyalists, for many Irish did choose to side with the English during the American War of Independence. The earliest wave of Irish migration, however, occurred during the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has revealed many people bearing the McKennon name:

McKennon Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Angus McKennon, who landed in Canada in 1816
John, McKennon Jr., who arrived in Canada in 1816

Contemporary Notables of the name McKennon (post 1700) +

Pierce Winningham “Mac” McKennon (1919-1947), American flying ace of World War II with 12 aerial victories, recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross (5), Air Medal (17) and a Purple Heart
Dallas Raymond "Dal" McKennon (1919-2009), American voice actor, with a career lasting over 50 years, he was the primary voice of Buzz Buzzard in the Woody Woodpecker cartoons and Disney movies such as Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Mary Poppins, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks and much more
Pierce W. McKennon, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 12 aerial victories