Keena History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

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

Early Origins of the Keena family

The surname Keena 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 Keena family

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

Keena Spelling Variations

Pronunciation, rather than spelling, guided scribes and church officials when recording names during the Middle Ages. This practice often resulted in one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname Keena are preserved in these old documents. The various spellings of the name that were found include Keenan, O'Keenan and others.

Early Notables of the Keena family

Notable among the family name at this time was

Sir Norbet Keenan, Australian Statesman

Keena migration to the United States +

A massive amount of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century for North America and Australia in hopes of finding more opportunities and an escape from discrimination and oppression. A great portion of these migrants arrived on the eastern shores of the North American continent. Although they were generally poor and destitute, and, therefore, again discriminated against, these Irish people were heartily welcomed for the hard labor involved in the construction of railroads, canals, roadways, and buildings. Many others were put to work in the newly established factories or agricultural projects that were so essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the world. The Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s initiated the largest wave of Iris immigration. Early North American immigration and passenger lists have revealed a number of people bearing the name Keena or a variant listed above:

Keena Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Kate Keena, aged 18, who immigrated to America from Ireland, in 1894
Mrs. Ellen Keena, aged 31, who immigrated to the United States, in 1896
Paul Keena, aged 2, who settled in America, in 1896
Kate Keena, aged 22, who landed in America from Longford, Ireland, in 1899
Manuel Keena, aged 22, who immigrated to the United States from Ballmalee, in 1899
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Keena Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Annie Keena, aged 34, who settled in America from Dublin, in 1901
Mary Keena, aged 37, who landed in America from Kingstown, Dublin, Ireland, in 1906
Teresa Keena, aged 24, who landed in America from Mallingar, Ireland, in 1909
William B. Keena, who immigrated to the United States from Ballynacasgy, Ireland, in 1911
Mary A Keena, aged 17, who landed in America from Ballymore, Ireland, in 1914
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Keena (post 1700) +

Leo Japathet Keena (1878-1967), American football player and diplomat seriving as United States Ambassador to Honduras (1935 to 1937) and United States Ambassador to South Africa (1937 to 1942)
Monica C. Keena (b. 1979), American actress, best known for her role as Abby Morgan on Dawson's Creek
Shane Keena, Irish singer-songwriter from Loughrea, County Galway
Keena Lea Bonella (b. 1985), American beauty queen from Grand Junction, Colorado