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

Kenner, 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 Kenner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kenner in America

Kenner is the 6694th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kenner surname appeared 5,045 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Kenner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kenner 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 Kenner

The surname Kenner is believed to have originated in Germany, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "kennen," which means "to know" or "to be acquainted with." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was well-known or knowledgeable within their community.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Kenner can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the former Kingdom of Saxony. In this record, a person named Conradus Kenner is mentioned in relation to a land transaction in the year 1192.

As the name spread across German-speaking regions, various spellings emerged, including Kenner, Kener, and Küner. Some of these variations may have been influenced by local dialects or the preferences of individual scribes who recorded the name.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name Kenner was Hans Kenner, a German theologian and Reformist who lived from 1495 to 1568. He was a prominent supporter of Martin Luther's teachings and played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.

During the 18th century, the Kenner surname made its way to America, where it was adopted by several notable individuals. One such person was Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Kenner, a Louisiana politician and diplomat who lived from 1812 to 1888. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and later as a Confederate diplomat during the American Civil War.

Another prominent American with the Kenner surname was Robert Kenner, a film director and producer born in 1951. He is best known for his critically acclaimed documentaries such as "Food, Inc." and "Merchants of Doubt," which explore various social and environmental issues.

In the realm of literature, the name Kenner is associated with Hugh Kenner, a renowned Canadian literary critic and academic who lived from 1923 to 2003. He is particularly known for his influential works on modernist writers like Ezra Pound and James Joyce.

Similarly, the Kenner surname has also been carried by notable figures in the arts and sciences. For example, Max Kenner was an Austrian-American architect and designer who lived from 1882 to 1966. He is renowned for his contributions to the Art Deco movement and for designing iconic buildings such as the Brill Building in New York City.

While the Kenner surname has its roots in German-speaking regions, it has since spread across various parts of the world, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in diverse fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kenner

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

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

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

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