Kenneth Surname

16,689th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 33,276 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
Nigeria
Highest density in:
Vanuatu

Kenneth Surname Definition:

Gaelic Coinneach, Middle Gaelic. Coinndech, Coinnidh, OG. Cainnech. The name of S. Cainnech, contemporary of S. Columba, recorded by Adamnan (V. C,, III, 17) in Irish-Latin as Cainnechus, comes from cannico-s, 'fair one.' From it again comes MacCoinnich, Mackenzie, which see.

Read More About This Surname

Kenneth Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Nigeria17,1411:10,3341,099
Malawi4,2611:4,018550
United States2,6361:137,50314,367
Ghana1,5931:16,9622,149
Kenya1,4051:32,8683,593
Papua New Guinea1,0761:7,578552
Vanuatu5511:47893
Tanzania4901:108,04410,487
Botswana4691:4,663715
South Africa3421:158,41417,833
Liberia3121:14,1301,484
England2771:201,14817,563
Hong Kong2391:30,692530
Australia2131:126,74013,853
Cameroon1751:118,68013,599
Saudi Arabia1591:194,06229,524
Zimbabwe1551:99,60214,056
Israel1541:55,5697,198
India1511:5,079,903126,627
Canada1201:307,04728,331
Scotland1111:48,2334,226
Malaysia1021:289,15915,911
Iraq841:416,9247,373
Uganda781:500,50428,682
Singapore771:71,5292,869
United Arab Emirates721:127,25410,508
Bahamas641:6,121584
Solomon Islands561:10,3581,805
Guyana481:15,8802,122
Dominican Republic461:226,8038,136
Pakistan371:4,828,21331,875
Sudan361:1,041,9503,038
Indonesia341:3,889,682201,134
China321:42,728,7992,300
Trinidad and Tobago321:42,6243,925
France311:2,142,668174,004
Kuwait291:131,05814,967
Zambia261:609,61224,798
Brazil251:8,562,973188,780
Rwanda251:454,5991,711
Ecuador241:662,74412,125
New Zealand211:215,63421,249
Germany181:4,472,526177,866
Philippines171:5,955,190180,670
Syria141:1,378,6447,647
Denmark131:434,20928,556
Iceland111:34,5542,447
Belgium101:1,149,66482,403
Hungary101:981,62846,877
Ivory Coast91:2,563,47041,100
Norway91:571,36544,190
Sri Lanka91:2,312,0629,186
Thailand91:7,848,705447,191
Togo91:805,3086,372
Jamaica81:358,7438,527
Sweden71:1,406,680102,017
Netherlands61:2,814,529101,176
Qatar61:393,00055,922
Finland51:1,099,34045,512
Micronesia51:21,249698
Russia51:28,824,611530,332
Yemen51:5,285,05921,214
Egypt41:22,983,93862,368
Mozambique41:6,815,3924,272
Myanmar41:12,984,4961,309
Switzerland41:2,053,22997,179
Ireland31:1,569,64617,286
Japan31:42,614,76459,022
Mexico31:41,375,40271,397
Niger31:6,397,33978,839
Spain31:15,584,012120,866
Wales31:1,031,51134,732
Algeria21:19,315,77697,017
Colombia21:23,887,03632,612
Italy21:30,578,344160,757
Senegal21:7,289,6718,117
Taiwan21:11,722,37363,559
Turkey21:38,910,711171,901
Vietnam21:46,323,0275,235
Austria11:8,515,435118,036
Bahrain11:1,348,60810,432
Barbados11:287,4482,772
Belarus11:9,501,059159,228
Benin11:10,335,602103,742
Bermuda11:65,2793,010
Burkina Faso11:18,352,10030,051
Cambodia11:15,487,14614,824
Cape Verde11:529,6426,792
Chad11:13,592,19913,092
Chile11:17,616,47493,597
Comoros11:749,524685
Costa Rica11:4,780,06913,345
Czechia11:10,633,469206,023
Ethiopia11:97,546,26229,669
Guam11:160,1214,893
Guatemala11:16,082,66812,169
Honduras11:8,816,4429,272
Isle of Man11:85,8224,091
Kazakhstan11:17,682,496204,010
Kyrgyzstan11:5,972,65499,197
Latvia11:2,050,04660,295
Luxembourg11:580,54215,155
Montenegro11:639,5659,092
Morocco11:34,476,099111,471
Namibia11:2,409,40119,676
Panama11:3,912,25817,195
Peru11:31,784,12364,452
Poland11:38,008,749231,653
Puerto Rico11:3,550,1399,109
Saint Lucia11:178,7813,800
Seychelles11:92,3931,532
South Korea11:51,240,2568,015
Swaziland11:1,298,1991,718
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Scotland891:42,0593,125
England351:696,43933,013
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States1181:425,58231,158

Kenneth (2,136,671) may also be a first name.

Kenneth Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

Gaelic Coinneach, Middle Gaelic. Coinndech, Coinnidh, OG. Cainnech. The name of S. Cainnech, contemporary of S. Columba, recorded by Adamnan (V. C,, III, 17) in Irish-Latin as Cainnechus, comes from cannico-s, 'fair one.' From it again comes MacCoinnich, Mackenzie, which see. Simeon of Durham mentions a king of the Picts named Cynoth and Cynoht. This is the king whose death is recorded in AU. under A.D. 774: Mors Cinadhon regis Pictorum. Kyned thainus de Katel is a witness a. 1177 (CMN., 3). Kineth, Kyneth, or Kinef appears as witness in Lindores charters, c. 1200 (LAC., p. 11, 38, 88). Kennauch mac aht (ht here, as often, written for th) mentioned in the Chronicle of Melrose (1215) was probably a relative, possibly a son, of Malcolm Macheth (d. 1168). The patronymic Macheth seems to have become a family name. Kennauch Makyny was present at pleas held at Dull in Atholl, 1264 (RPSA., p. 349). Kenach brother of Bethan de Doul, was juror at Perth, 1305 (Bain, II, p. 456). One named Kineth held part of Sipland, Kirkcudbright, c. 1210—14 (BNCH., XVI, p. 263). Rorie Me Eane VcKyniche and Gillespick VcEane VcKynnich in Torlosk, Mull, were put to the horn (declared outlaws), 1629 (RPC., 2. ser. III, p. 46) Gillespick also appears in same record (II, p. 341) as Archibald McEane VcKynyts. (2) The name which appears in English as Kenneth is of different origin. It is the old Scots Gaelic king's name Cinaed, found in the Book of Deer as Cinatha. It means 'firesprung,' the aed being the same as aed in Mackay. In early record it appears as Cinaed, Ciniod, Cionaodh, Cinaet, Cinaeth, Ciniath, Cinioch, Kinat, Kinath, Kinet, and Kineth.

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(Celtic) a Scot. form of Irish Kenny1, q.v.; but Kenneth is now usually for Gaelic Coinneach, Old Gaelic Cainnech=Fair [conn. with Gaelic cannach, pretty: MacBain, ‘Etym. Gael Dict.’ (ed. 1911), p. 403].

(English) the Anglo-Saxon Cynað = Royal Oath [Old English cyne-, royal + áð, oath]

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

Kenneth Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Kenneth Come From? nationality or country of origin

The surname Kenneth (Arabic: كنث, Hindi: कैनेथ, Marathi: केनेथ, Oriya: େକେନଥ) occurs in Nigeria more than any other country or territory. It can also be rendered as:. For other possible spellings of Kenneth click here.

How Common Is The Last Name Kenneth? popularity and diffusion

The surname is the 16,689th most frequently occurring surname in the world. It is borne by around 1 in 219,003 people. The last name Kenneth occurs predominantly in Africa, where 80 percent of Kenneth live; 57 percent live in West Africa and 56 percent live in Atlantic-Niger Africa. It is also the 282nd most frequently occurring first name globally. It is borne by 2,136,671 people.

This last name is most frequently used in Nigeria, where it is held by 17,141 people, or 1 in 10,334. In Nigeria it is mostly found in: Rivers, where 11 percent live, Imo, where 11 percent live and Delta, where 6 percent live. Apart from Nigeria Kenneth is found in 112 countries. It also occurs in Malawi, where 13 percent live and The United States, where 8 percent live.

Kenneth Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The prevalency of Kenneth has changed over time. In The United States the number of people bearing the Kenneth surname rose 2,234 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it rose 791 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Scotland it rose 125 percent between 1881 and 2014.

Kenneth Last Name Statistics demography

The religious devotion of those bearing the last name is principally Christian (100%) in Kenya and Christian (99%) in Nigeria.

In The United States those holding the Kenneth last name are 9.59% more likely to be registered with the Republican Party than The US average, with 56.36% registered with the political party.

The amount Kenneth earn in different countries varies notably. In South Africa they earn 15.25% more than the national average, earning R 273,888 per year; in United States they earn 8.68% less than the national average, earning $39,403 USD per year and in Canada they earn 2.51% less than the national average, earning $48,434 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Kuenneth9332/
Kennneth938/
Kenneith935/
Kenneath935/
Kennethe934/
Kennethh934/
Kennedth932/
Kennetth932/
Kenneeth932/
Kkenneth932/
Keenneth931/
Kehnneth931/
Kennethd931/
Kennieth930/
Kennet92588/
Knneth928/
Kennethth881/
Kennett869,472/
Künneth8698/
Kennith8662/
Kennete8618/
Kennedt864/
Kinneth863/
Kennedh861/
Kenneit861/
Kenneht861/
Kneth831/
Kennette80194/
Kaennett801/
Kennettt801/
Kennecht800/
Cennet771,281/
Kneath77173/
Kenned77150/
Kinnet7767/
Knetch776/
Kneith772/
Kneeth771/
Kneuth770/
Kennetová753/
Queenneth752/
Knet73212/
Kinnett711,597/
Cuennet71591/
Kingnet71225/
Kemnetz71163/
Quennet71115/
Kinnetz7199/
Kinnest7135/
Cennett7121/
Kennhed7112/
Kenneyd713/
Kennedd712/
Chennet712/
Kinnith712/
Knestch711/
Kneithe711/
Könnete711/
Keenned710/
Kemnett710/
Kennitt710/
Knets6799/
Knett6775/
Kneut6751/
Knetz6746/
Kneit6732/
Kneht6712/
Khnet676/
Kniet675/
Knith674/
Knete674/
Knned673/
Kinnette672/
Kemneitz671/
Knettsch671/
Knyth671/
Kneat671/
Quennett671/
Kinnetts671/
Kingnett671/
Quinneth671/
Kcnet671/
Chennett670/
Coennett670/

Kenneth Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Kenneth in the Oriya language
େକେନଥekenatha-
Kenneth in the Marathi language
केनेथkenetha36.91
केिनथkeinatha11.41
कॅनेथkenetha7.38
केनेटkeneta7.38
केनीथkenitha7.38
कनेथkanetha6.71
कॅनेटkeneta6.71
केनेतkeneta4.03
केनथkenatha3.36
केनटkenata1.34
कॅनथkenatha0.67
केनाटkenata0.67
कैनेथkainetha0.67
कनेटkaneta0.67
केन्थkentha0.67
कॅनाथkenatha0.67
केनेशkenesa0.67
कॅनरेटkenareta0.67
कॅरेटkereta0.67
केनेथर्kenethar0.67
Kenneth in the Hindi language
कैनेथkainetha20
केन्नेथkennetha20
केन्नाथkennatha20
केनिथkenitha20
कैन्थkaintha20
Kenneth in the Arabic language
كنثknth-
كينيثkynyth-
كنيثknyth-

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Kenneth
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis