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

Kinsella, 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 Kinsella surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kinsella in America

Kinsella is the 7920th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kinsella surname appeared 4,179 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 Kinsella.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kinsella 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 Kinsella

The surname Kinsella is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Ó Cionsalach," which means "descendant of Cionsalach." Cionsalach was a personal name derived from the Old Irish word "cion," meaning affection or liking.

The name first appeared in the Irish annals around the 11th century, with early references to individuals bearing the name found in various medieval manuscripts and records from counties such as Wexford, Kilkenny, and Waterford.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, which mentions a "Muircheartach Ua Cionsalach" in the year 1031. This individual was likely a member of the Uí Cionsalach, a prominent family in the Leinster region of Ireland.

The Kinsella name is also associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Kinsellagh (a barony in County Wexford) and Kinsalebeg (a townland in County Waterford). These place names likely derived from the Kinsella surname, indicating areas where families with this name held significant influence or land.

Notable individuals with the surname Kinsella throughout history include:

1. Thomas Kinsella (1928-2021), an Irish poet, translator, and publisher, known for his works such as "Wormwood" and "The Táin."

2. John Kinsella (born 1963), an Australian poet and novelist, recipient of numerous literary awards, including the Prime Minister's Literary Award.

3. Aidan Kinsella (born 1977), an Irish hurler who played for the Kilkenny senior hurling team and won several All-Ireland medals.

4. Liam Kinsella (born 1932), an Irish politician who served as a member of the European Parliament from 1979 to 1984.

5. John Kinsella (1858-1899), an Irish-American baseball player who played for several teams in the late 19th century, including the Philadelphia Phillies and the Baltimore Orioles.

The Kinsella surname continues to be predominantly found in Ireland, particularly in counties like Wexford and Waterford, where it has its historical roots. It is a name with a rich heritage, reflecting the genealogical and cultural significance of Irish surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kinsella

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

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

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

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