Find out how popular the last name Kenn is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Kenn.
A locational surname derived from a place named Kin in Scotland.
Kenn, 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 Kenn surname is from the 2010 census data.
Kenn is the 83226th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Kenn surname appeared 226 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 Kenn.
We can also compare 2010 data for Kenn 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 83226 | 74398 | 11.20% |
Count | 226 | 242 | -6.84% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.09 | -11.76% |
The surname KENN is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged in the medieval period, possibly as early as the 11th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cyn," which means "royal" or "noble," suggesting that the original bearers of this surname may have held a position of importance or nobility.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname KENN can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Kenne" and "Kynne," indicating its evolution over time.
In the 13th century, the surname KENN was associated with a place name in Wiltshire, England, known as "Kenne." This connection suggests that the surname may have originated from a specific location or estate, with the name being adopted by residents or landowners in that area.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname KENN. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Sir John Kenn (1348-1418), a prominent English knight and landowner from Somerset. Another notable figure was Thomas Kenn (1691-1777), an English clergyman and bishop who served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells in the 18th century.
In the literary world, Sophia Kenn (1825-1905) was a renowned English novelist and playwright who gained recognition for her works depicting the lives of the upper classes in Victorian society. Her contemporaries included Charles Dickens and William Thackeray.
Moving into the 20th century, Edward Kenn (1912-1994) was a British artist known for his evocative landscape paintings and his association with the St Ives School of artists in Cornwall.
Another notable individual with the surname KENN was Sir John Kenn (1932-2018), a British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to the United States from 1985 to 1990, playing a crucial role in strengthening diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The surname KENN has a rich history, originating in medieval England and evolving over centuries. While its meaning and origins are rooted in nobility and specific locations, the name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including knights, clergymen, artists, and diplomats, leaving an indelible mark on history.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Kenn.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kenn was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 87.17% | 197 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 5.75% | 13 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 3.10% | 7 |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 2.21% | 5 |
Hispanic Origin | (S)% | (S) |
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 Kenn has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 87.17% | 90.50% | -3.75% |
Black | 5.75% | 5.37% | 6.83% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | 3.10% | 0.00% | 200.00% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | 2.21% | 2.89% | -26.67% |
Hispanic | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
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 Kenn was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/kenn-surname-popularity/">Kenn last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Kenn last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 8, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/kenn-surname-popularity/.
"Kenn last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/kenn-surname-popularity/. Accessed 8 July, 2025
Kenn last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/kenn-surname-popularity/.
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