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

Kennison, 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 Kennison surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kennison in America

Kennison is the 13177th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kennison surname appeared 2,320 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 Kennison.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kennison 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 Kennison

The surname Kennison is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "cyn" meaning "royal" or "kin," and "sunu" meaning "son." It is believed to have originated in the county of Dorset, England, during the Anglo-Saxon period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kennison can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Chenisun." This historical record suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Kennison was often spelled in various ways, such as "Kennyson," "Kenison," and "Kennisson." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

In the 14th century, a notable individual with the surname Kennison was Sir William Kennison, a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War between England and France. He was born in 1320 and died in 1389.

Another prominent figure bearing the name Kennison was John Kennison, a member of the English Parliament during the reign of King Henry VI in the mid-15th century. He represented the borough of Dorchester, Dorset, from 1445 to 1460.

During the 16th century, the surname Kennison was associated with the village of Kennison, located in the county of Dorset. This place name likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname itself.

In the 17th century, a notable individual named Thomas Kennison (1630-1689) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol, England. He played a significant role in the development of the city's trade and economy.

In the 18th century, the surname Kennison was found in various parts of England, including Dorset, Somerset, and Devon. One notable figure from this period was William Kennison (1743-1815), a poet and essayist who published several works on literature and philosophy.

As the centuries passed, the Kennison surname spread to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to various parts of the world through migration and colonization. Despite its geographical spread, the name retained its English roots and connection to the county of Dorset.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kennison

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

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

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

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