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

Kennell, 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 Kennell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kennell in America

Kennell is the 13306th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kennell surname appeared 2,292 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Kennell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kennell 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 Kennell

The surname Kennell is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word 'cynel,' meaning a royal or noble lineage. The name is believed to have originated in the counties of Devon and Cornwall in the southwestern part of England.

In its earliest form, the surname was spelled 'Kennel' or 'Kenelle,' and it is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. One of the earliest documented bearers of the name was William de Kenelle, who resided in Devon in the early 12th century.

The Kennell surname has a strong association with place names in the region, such as Kennel Farm in Dorset and Kennel Vale in Cornwall. These place names likely influenced the development and spelling variations of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the Kennell surname include Sir John Kennell (1570-1642), an English merchant and Member of Parliament who played a significant role in the colonization of Virginia. Another prominent figure was Major Thomas Kennell (1634-1699), a military officer who served in the English Civil War and later became a landowner in Virginia.

In the 18th century, William Kennell (1710-1785) was a renowned English landscape architect who designed gardens for several aristocratic estates. His son, John Kennell (1748-1823), followed in his footsteps and became a respected horticulturist.

During the 19th century, the surname gained recognition through the achievements of Edward Kennell (1819-1891), a prominent English industrialist who owned several textile mills and was a pioneer in the use of mechanized looms.

While the surname Kennell is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich historical background and has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kennell

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

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

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

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