Contents [hide]

Kane History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Kane History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland-Alt
Ireland

Etymology of Kane

What does the name Kane mean?

The surname Kane is an old Irish name that originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Cathain or Mac Cathain.

"This name may be rendered 'warrior' (cath, 'a battle’). The O’Cathains, now O'Kanes, were of the race of Eoghan, who was son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, Monarch of Ireland, who died A.D. 406." 1 2

Early Origins of the Kane family

The surname Kane was first found in County Londonderry (Irish: Doire), a Northern Irish county also known as Derry, in the province of Ulster.

Early History of the Kane family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kane research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1196, 1617, 1666, 1689, 1736, 1737 and 1875 are included under the topic Early Kane History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kane Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Kane, Kayne, O'Kane, Cain, O'Cain and others.

Early Notables of the Kane family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was

Richard Kane (1666-1736?), Irish brigadier-general, born at Down, Ireland, 20 Dec. 1666, and entered the royal regiment of Ireland -since the 18th royal Irish foot - about 1689. According to the War O...
Echlin O'Kane, was one of the most famous of all Irish Harpists, as well as Cardinal McCloskey, Archbishop of New York in 1875

Kane World Ranking

In the United States, the name Kane is the 746^th most popular surname with an estimated 39,792 people with that name. 3 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Kane is ranked the 708^th most popular surname with an estimated 61 people with that name. 4 And in Australia, the name Kane is the 655^th popular surname with an estimated 5,976 people with that name. 5 New Zealand ranks Kane as 575^th with 1,235 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Kane as 514^th with 12,701 people. 7

Kane migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kane Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Kane, who arrived in Maryland in 1674 8

Kane Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jeremiah Kane, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1767 8
Cornelous Kane, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1787 8

Kane Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Kane, aged 24, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 8
Isa Kane, who landed in America in 1805 8
Andw Kane, who arrived in America in 1805 8
Margaret Kane, who landed in America in 1805 8
William Kane, who arrived in America in 1805 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kane migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kane Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Timothy Kane, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749

Kane Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Bryan Kane, aged 28, who landed in Quebec in 1833
Ritchard Kane, aged 22, who landed in Quebec in 1833
Thomas Kane, aged 30, a blacksmith, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the schooner "Sarah" from Belfast, Ireland
Patrick Kane, aged 25, a gardener, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Sea Horse" from Galway, Ireland
Thomas Kane, aged 29, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Protector" in 1834
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kane migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Kane Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Sarah Kane, Irish servant who was convicted in Antrim, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Canada" on 21st March 1817, arriving in New South Wales, Australia then transported on to Tasmania per "Elizabeth Henrietta" 9
Hugh Kane, a slater, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
Hugh Kane, a mason, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
Mr. Thomas Kane, (b. 1810), aged 18, Irish convict who was convicted in Antrim, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Fergusson" on 16th November 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. William Kane, (b. 1803), aged 34, Irish solider born in Kildare who was convicted in Southampton, Hampshire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Charles Kerr" on 6th June 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kane migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Kane Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

E Kane, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1822
Mr. Patrick Kane, British settler as part of the 8th Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 12
Mrs. Margaret Kane, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 12
Mr. Hugh Kane, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Inchinnan" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 27th May 1852 13
Hugh Kane, aged 46, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Inchinnan" in 1852 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Kane (post 1700) +

Patrick Timothy Kane II (b. 1988), American professional ice hockey right winger for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL)
Howie Kane (1945-2023), born Howard G. Kirschenbaum, American pop singer, member of Jay and the Americans
Rob Kane (1967-2021), American politician, Connecticut Auditor of Public Accounts (2017-2021)
Candye Kane (1961-2016), born Candace Hogan, an American singer, songwriter and performer, nominated for four Blues Music Awards
Gregory Kane (1952-2014), American Pulitzer Prize nominated journalist and political and social commentator
Brigadier-General Paul Vincent Kane (1892-1959), American Chief of Operations Group, Plans Section, Army Field Forces (1947-1949) 14
Brigadier-General Clarence Peyton Kane (1890-1964), American Commanding General Atlantic Overseas Service Command (1945-1946) 15
Carol Kane (b. 1952), American actress who played the wife of Andy Kaufman's character on the television show "Taxi"
Daniel M. Kane (b. 1986), American mathematician, two-time gold medalist at the International Mathematical Olympiad
Thomas L. Kane (1822-1883), American Civil War general and founder of Kane, Pennsylvania
... (Another 122 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Kane family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Thomas Kane (d. 1914), British Trimmer from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 16

Halifax Explosion

Miss Gladys Kane (1899-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 17

Hillcrest Coal Mine

Mr. Patrick Kane (1872-1914), Scottish Miner from Castlehill, Carluke, Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom who worked in the Hillcrest Coal Mine, Alberta, Canada and died in the mine collapse 18

HMS Repulse

Mr. Francis William Kane, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 19

HMS Royal Oak

Raymond Charles Kane (1921-1939), British Marine with the Royal Marine aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 20

Pemberton Mill

Mr. William Kane, (Cain), factory worker in the Pemberton Mill on 10th January 1860 when the mill collapsed trapping 900 workers as rescue attempts continued into the night, an oil lantern was knocked over further engulfing the trapped workers in fire, he died

Citations +

Moore, A.W., Manx Names. London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1906. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canada
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fergusson
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 1st February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charles-kerr
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 30) Paul Kane. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Kane/Paul_Vincent/USA.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 30) Clarence Kane. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Kane/Clarence_Peyton/USA.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
List Of Miners - Hillcrest Mine Disaster Data. (Retrieved 2014, June 24) . Retrieved from http://www.hillcrestminedisaster.com/data/index.php?title=List_Of_Miners
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html