2000
#55,971
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 342
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.13
Very Rare Last name
Kenion
An English surname derived from a place name meaning "high rocky hill".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 401 Americans carry the last name Kenion. That puts it at #61,890 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 854,749 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kenion surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
401
1 in 854,749
Census rank
#61,890
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
350
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 350 bearers of the surname Kenion in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 61890th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kenion, the largest self-reported group is Black at 73.7%. The next largest groups are White (14.6%) and Two or More Races (5.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kenion
The surname Kenion originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "cyne" meaning "royal" or "noble" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have originated from a royal or noble settlement or estate.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kenion can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Kenintun," referring to a place name in the county of Somerset.
In the 13th century, the surname Kenion was found in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it was spelled "Kenintone." This indicates that the name was well-established in different regions of England during that time.
A notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Kenion (c. 1285 - 1349), a English knight and landowner who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence under King Edward I. Records show that he was granted lands in Northumberland for his service.
Another prominent figure with the surname Kenion was William Kenion (c. 1450 - 1512), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of London. He was known for his philanthropic activities and contributed to the construction of several churches and charitable institutions.
In the 16th century, the Kenion family was established in the county of Cheshire, where they owned significant estates. One member of this branch was Sir Thomas Kenion (1520 - 1588), who served as a Member of Parliament and held various positions in the local government.
During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a notable Kenion was Colonel Richard Kenion (1610 - 1674), a Royalist commander who fought for King Charles I. He was later pardoned by Oliver Cromwell and allowed to keep his estates in Staffordshire.
Another individual of note was Reverend John Kenion (1675 - 1745), a clergyman and scholar who served as the vicar of St. Mary's Church in Warwick. He was known for his extensive library and contributions to theological literature.
Throughout its history, the surname Kenion has undergone various spelling variations, including Kenyon, Kennion, and Keningham, reflecting regional dialects and the evolution of the English language over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kenion
Among Census respondents with the surname Kenion, the largest self-reported group is Black at 73.7%. The next largest groups are White (14.6%) and Two or More Races (5.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Kenion bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Kenion surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American73.7% · 258
- White14.6% · 51
- Two or more races5.4% · 19
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 14
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.4% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kenion
Kenion appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#58,337
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 348
+6 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Down 2,366 places
2020
#61,890
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 350
+2 bearers (+0.6%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Down 3,553 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #55,971 | 342 | 0.13 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #58,337 | 348 | 0.12 | +6 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 2,366 places |
| 2020 | #61,890 | 350 | 0.12 | +2 bearers (+0.6%) | Down 3,553 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Kenion surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #58,337 | #61,890 | -6.1% |
| Count | 348 | 350 | 0.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.12 | 0.12 | -2.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kenion bearers went from 348 to 350 (+0.6% change). The surname moved down 3,553 positions in the national ranking, going from #58,337 to #61,890.
FAQ
Kenion surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kenion?
Name Census estimates that about 401 living Americans carry the surname Kenion. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 854,749 residents.
How common is Kenion?
Kenion ranks #61,890 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 350 people with the surname Kenion. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (401), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.12 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Kenion.
Has Kenion become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kenion went from 348 recorded bearers to 350. That is an increase of 2 (+0.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #58,337 to #61,890.
What does the Census say about the background of Kenion?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kenion, the largest self-reported group is Black at 73.7%. The next largest groups are White (14.6%) and Two or More Races (5.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Kenion in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.7% (258 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kenion appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (73.7%), White (14.6%), Two or More Races (5.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Kenion (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Kenion mean?
An English surname derived from a place name meaning "high rocky hill". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Kenion (0.12 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Kenion?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.