Find out how popular the first name Kendell has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Kendell by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Kendell is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 69% of people named Kendell being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 35 male babies and 7 female babies born with the name Kendell.

The history of the first name Kendell

The name Kendell is an English variant of the name Kendall, which has its origins in the Old English language. It is derived from the words "cyne" meaning "royal" and "dæl" meaning "valley" or "dale." The name Kendall was originally a place name referring to the Valley of the King, or the Royal Valley.

In the early medieval period, the name Kendall was used to refer to various locations in England, including areas in Lancashire, Westmorland, and Yorkshire. The earliest recorded use of the name Kendall as a personal name dates back to the 12th century, where it was initially used as a surname for individuals who hailed from these areas.

One of the earliest known historical references to the name Kendall can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. In this document, the name Kendall is mentioned in relation to various landholdings and estates.

Over time, the name Kendall began to transition from being primarily a surname to also being used as a given name. One of the earliest recorded individuals to bear the name Kendall as a first name was Kendall Burnell, an English judge and statesman who lived in the 13th century (c. 1240-1315).

Another notable figure with the name Kendall was Kendall Wroot, an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge in the 15th century (c. 1400-1470).

In the 16th century, Kendall Higginson (c. 1530-1604) was an English churchman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University.

During the 17th century, Kendall Parker (c. 1610-1670) was an English lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Long Parliament.

In the 18th century, Kendall Haworth (c. 1720-1790) was an English Baptist minister and author known for his religious writings.

While the name Kendall has traditionally been more commonly used as a masculine name, in recent centuries, it has also been adopted as a feminine name, with the variant spelling Kendell becoming increasingly popular.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Kendell was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kendell, please contact us.

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