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

Kennerly, 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 Kennerly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kennerly in America

Kennerly is the 16696th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kennerly surname appeared 1,715 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 Kennerly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kennerly 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 Kennerly

The surname Kennerly is believed to have originated in England, derived from the Anglo-Saxon words "cyne" meaning royal or kingly, and "rīce" meaning realm or kingdom. It is thought to have first emerged in the 11th century, around the time of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry refers to a landowner named Kennerlic, who held lands in the county of Gloucestershire.

Over time, the name evolved through various spellings such as Kennerlych, Kennerley, and eventually settling on its modern form, Kennerly. This surname was particularly prevalent in the English Midlands, with strongholds in counties like Worcestershire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire.

A notable figure bearing this name was Sir Thomas Kennerly (1451-1518), a prominent English politician and courtier who served as a member of the Privy Council under King Henry VII and King Henry VIII. He played a significant role in the court intrigue and power struggles of the Tudor era.

Another individual of note was John Kennerly (1684-1758), an English merchant and explorer who traveled extensively in the Americas and the West Indies. His writings and journals provided valuable insights into the trade routes and cultural practices of the time.

In the 19th century, William Kennerly (1803-1877) was a renowned British architect responsible for designing several iconic buildings, including the Royal Opera House in London.

Moving across the Atlantic, one cannot overlook the contributions of Mary Kennerly (1737-1825), a prominent American Revolutionary War patriot and spy. Her intelligence-gathering efforts played a crucial role in supporting the Continental Army's efforts against the British forces.

Another notable figure was James Kennerly (1890-1957), an American photojournalist and war correspondent who documented some of the most significant conflicts of the 20th century, including World War II and the Korean War. His powerful images captured the human cost of war and brought global attention to these events.

While the surname Kennerly has its roots in England, it has since spread worldwide, with bearers of the name making significant contributions across various fields, from politics and architecture to exploration and journalism.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kennerly

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

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

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

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