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

Kenneally, 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 Kenneally surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kenneally in America

Kenneally is the 20591st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kenneally surname appeared 1,287 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 Kenneally.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kenneally 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 Kenneally

The surname Kenneally originated in Ireland and is derived from the Irish Gaelic name O'Cionnfhaolaidh, which means "descendant of the wolf-lover." This name is believed to have originated in County Cork in the 16th century.

The Kenneally family was one of the prominent septs (clans) in the region of West Muskerry, which is located in the modern-day county of Cork. They were a respected family with a long history in the area.

One of the earliest known references to the name Kenneally can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle that covers events in Ireland from the earliest times to 1616 AD. The text mentions a "Donough O'Kenealy" as the chief of the Kenneally clan in the year 1590.

In the 17th century, during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, many Kenneallys were among the Irish families who were dispossessed of their lands and forcibly transplanted to the province of Connacht. Despite these hardships, the name endured and continued to be prominent in various parts of Ireland.

One notable individual with the surname Kenneally was Bartholomew Kenneally (1828-1897), an Irish-born Catholic priest who served as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, in the United States. He played a significant role in the establishment and growth of the Catholic Church in that region.

Another notable Kenneally was John Kenneally (1879-1951), an Irish-born American businessman and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts from 1917 to 1923.

In the field of literature, Maureen Kenneally (born 1937) is a renowned Irish novelist and short story writer. Her works often explore themes of Irish identity and the complexities of family relationships.

Maurice Kenneally (1893-1961) was an Irish actor and playwright who gained recognition for his performances on stage and in films. He was particularly known for his roles in productions by the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.

Finally, Fintan Kenneally (1924-2002) was an Irish economist and academic who served as the President of University College Cork from 1978 to 1989. He made significant contributions to the field of economics and played a crucial role in the development of higher education in Ireland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kenneally

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

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

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

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