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Kennessy Family History

Kennessy Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Fennessy, Hennessy, Kennerly, Kennedy, Jenness, Henness, Kenneson

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Kennessy family from?

You can see how Kennessy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kennessy family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Kennessy families were found in USA in 1880, and Canada in 1911. In 1881 there were 2 Kennessy families living in Lanarkshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Kennessy's in Scotland. Lanarkshire had the highest population of Kennessy families in 1881.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kennessy 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 Kennessy ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Kennessy. 100% of Kennessy women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Kennessy | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Kennessy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 314 census records available for the last name Kennessy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kennessy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kennessy

Passenger Lists

There are 77 immigration records available for the last name Kennessy. 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 Kennessy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 30 military records available for the last name Kennessy. For the veterans among your Kennessy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kennessy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kennessy family history

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What is the average Kennessy lifespan?

Average Kennessy life expectancy in 2000 was 49 years. This was lower than the general public life expectancy which was 75.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kennessy

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

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