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Kenny Family History

Kenny Surname Meaning

Irish and Scottish:: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Coinnigh ‘descendant of Coinneach’ an Old Irish personal name that later came to be treated as equivalent to Scottish Kenneth. This was borne by a 6th-century monk and saint who gave his name to the town of Kilkenny ‘church of Coinneach’.

Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Cionaodha ‘descendant of Cionaodh’ a personal name of unexplained etymology likewise Anglicized as Kenneth.

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


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Where is the Kenny family from?

You can see how Kenny families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kenny family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kenny families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,239 Kenny families living in Lancashire. This was about 41% of all the recorded Kenny's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Kenny families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kenny 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 Kenny ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kenny. 16% of Kenny men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Kenny women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kenny were Farm Labourer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Kenny | 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

  • General Labourer
    16%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Dock Labourer
    4%
  • Farm Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Kenny family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 238,000 census records available for the last name Kenny. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kenny census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kenny

Passenger Lists

There are 56,000 immigration records available for the last name Kenny. 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 Kenny immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 33,000 military records available for the last name Kenny. For the veterans among your Kenny ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kenny military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kenny family history

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What is the average Kenny lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Kenny life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Kenny in 1942 was 30, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kenny

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kenny 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.

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