Find out how popular the last name Kenehan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Kenehan.

Kenehan, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Kenehan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kenehan in America

Kenehan is the 112568th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kenehan surname appeared 156 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Kenehan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kenehan to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Kenehan

The surname Kenehan is believed to have originated in Ireland, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Irish Gaelic name "O Cianain," which means "descendant of Cianan." The name Cianan itself is a variant of the name "Cionaodh," which means "enduring" or "perpetual."

Kenehan is a anglicized form of the original Irish name, reflecting the linguistic and cultural changes that occurred during the English conquest and colonization of Ireland. The earliest known records of the name Kenehan appear in parish records from County Mayo and County Sligo in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

One notable early reference to the name Kenehan can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The chronicle mentions a "Teige O'Kenehan" who was a prominent figure in County Mayo during the 16th century.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Kenehan name became more widespread in Ireland, particularly in the counties of Mayo, Sligo, and Galway. Several notable individuals bearing the name emerged during this period, including:

1. Dominick Kenehan (1758-1832), an Irish politician and landowner from County Mayo.
2. Patrick Kenehan (1786-1854), an Irish Catholic priest and educator who founded several schools in County Sligo.
3. Bridget Kenehan (1792-1875), a renowned lacemaker from County Mayo whose intricate lace designs were highly sought after.

As the Irish diaspora spread throughout the world, the Kenehan name traveled with emigrant families. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Kenehans could be found in various parts of the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries with significant Irish populations.

Two notable individuals with the Kenehan surname from this period include:

4. Michael Kenehan (1854-1932), an Irish-American labor leader and activist who played a significant role in the labor movement in New York City.
5. John Kenehan (1870-1948), an Irish-Canadian politician who served as a member of the Canadian Parliament for the riding of York South from 1925 to 1935.

While the Kenehan name is not among the most common Irish surnames, it has a rich history and has been carried by individuals who have made notable contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kenehan

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Kenehan.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kenehan was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Kenehan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

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

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

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