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Kennan Family History

Kennan Surname Meaning

Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Fhionnáin a patronymic from Fionnán a personal name from a diminutive of fionn ‘white’.

A fuller form of this name found in Scotland is McKennan.

Compare Gannon and Scottish McKinnon.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Kennan family from?

You can see how Kennan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kennan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kennan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 23 Kennan families living in Durham. This was about 22% of all the recorded Kennan's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Kennan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kennan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Kennan ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kennan. 60% of Kennan men worked as a Builders Labourer and 91% of Kennan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kennan were Fitter Heavy Worker and Private Means.

View Census Data for Kennan | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Builders Labourer
    60%
  • Fitter Heavy Worker
    40%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    91%
  • Private Means
    10%

What Kennan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Kennan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kennan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kennan

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Kennan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kennan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Kennan. For the veterans among your Kennan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kennan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kennan family history

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What is the average Kennan lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Kennan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Kennan in 1953 was 32, and 59 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kennan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kennan ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Kennan family tree

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