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Kenna Family History

Kenna Surname Meaning

Scottish: shortened form of McKenna.

Manx and Irish: Anglicized form of Ó Cionaoith ‘descendant of Cionaoth’ an old Irish personal name.

Anglicized in Scotland as Kenneth.

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


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Where is the Kenna family from?

You can see how Kenna families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kenna family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kenna families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 117 Kenna families living in Lancashire. This was about 31% of all the recorded Kenna's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Kenna families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kenna 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 Kenna 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 Kenna. 37% of Kenna men worked as a Builders Labourer and 72% of Kenna women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kenna were Incapacitated and Private Means.

View Census Data for Kenna | 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
    37%
  • General Labourer
    28%
  • Coal Miner Hewer Below Unemployed
    19%
  • Incapacitated
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Domestic Servant
    5%
  • Private Means
    4%

What Kenna family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 71,000 census records available for the last name Kenna. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kenna census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kenna

Passenger Lists

There are 17,000 immigration records available for the last name Kenna. 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 Kenna immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Kenna. For the veterans among your Kenna ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kenna military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kenna family history

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What is the average Kenna lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Kenna life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Kenna in 1958 was 65, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kenna

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kenna 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 Kenna family tree

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