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

Keniston, 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 Keniston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keniston in America

Keniston is the 26887th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keniston surname appeared 903 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 Keniston.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keniston 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 Keniston

The surname Keniston has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "kene" meaning bold or brave, and "tun" meaning a town or settlement. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived in a town or village and was considered a courageous or valiant individual.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a John de Kenistun is mentioned. The prefix "de" indicates that the name was originally a locational surname, referring to a place called Keniston or a similar spelling.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Kenston, Kenniston, and Kenneston, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping during that period. The Inquisitiones Post Mortem, a series of medieval records, lists a William Keniston from Gloucestershire in 1371.

The Keniston surname has also been linked to several place names in England, including Keniston in Warwickshire and Keniston in Shropshire. These places may have been named after individuals bearing the surname, or the surname could have derived from the place names themselves.

Notable individuals with the Keniston surname throughout history include:

1. John Keniston (c. 1550-1625), an English clergyman and author from Gloucestershire.
2. William Keniston (1670-1738), a merchant and landowner from Worcestershire.
3. Elizabeth Keniston (1720-1794), a philanthropist and benefactor from Oxfordshire.
4. Robert Keniston (1815-1891), a British explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in Africa.
5. Henry Keniston (1864-1932), an American educator and scholar who served as the president of Hampshire College.

While the Keniston surname may not be as widely known as some others, its long history and varied origins across different regions of England make it a fascinating example of how surnames evolved and were shaped by local influences and cultural traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keniston

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

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 Keniston 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 Keniston 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 Keniston was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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