Arthur, William (1857) An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman. Public Domain.
KENNEDY
There are approximately 60,178 people named Kennedy in the UK. That makes it the 130th most common surname overall. Out of every million people in the UK, approximately 952 are named Kennedy.
Region of origin
British Isles
Country of origin
Scotland
Language of origin
Gaelic
Religion of origin
Christian
Classification
Celtic
Related and similar surnames
CannedyCanady
Canedy
Cannady
Kenady
Kannady
Kanady
Canneady
Cannedey
Cannadey
Caneady
Canedey
Caneddy
Cannaduy
Gkennedy
Gkenedy
Keennedy
Keenedy
Keanedy
Kannedy
Keinedy
Kehnedy
Keineedy
Kanedy
Kenadey
Kenaddy
Keanady
The Kennedy surname in historical dictionaries
An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857)
From the Gaelic or Celtic words Kean-na-ty; the head of the house, or chief of the clan. Ceannaide signifies also a shopkeeper, a merchant.
Patronymica Britannica (1860)
KENNEDY. Celtic. Cean-7ia-tighe, meaning, it is said, the head of a sept or clan. The family descend from the ancient earls of Carrick in Ayrshire, and seem to have changed their name from Carrick to Kennedy in the XIV. cent. The chief was K. of Dunure, afterwards Earl of Cassilis (now Marquis of Ailsa). In the XVI. cent, the power of tliis great house in the shires of Ayr and Galloway was set forth in a popular rhyme : —
Lower, Mark A (1860) Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom. London: J.R. Smith. Public Domain.