| ![Show Contents]() Ken History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of KenWhat does the name Ken mean? The Ken history begins in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. Quite distinct from Devon, the adjoining county, Cornwall had its own spoken language until the late 18th century. The Ken history began here. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames were derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. The Ken family originally lived in Devon or Somerset at the village of Kenn. Alternatively the name could have been a nickname as in "le ken" for one who keeps dogs derived from the Old French "chien." Early Origins of the Ken familyThe surname Ken was first found in Kenn in either Devon or Somerset. The latter, was "the place that was for many generations the property of the Ken family, of whose manorial residence, now modernised, the moat is still discernible. Thomas Ken, their descendant, was created Bishop of Bath and Wells by Charles II., and was one of the seven prelates sent to the Tower by James II." 1 The first record of the family was Robert le Chein (Chen) who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1183 in Cornwall. Willelmus Chen, Canis was listed in the Liber Feodorum in Essex in 1212 and 1219. Henry le Kenne was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1337. 2 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: Walter le Ken in Oxfordshire; Eborard le Ken in Cambridgeshire; and Thomas le Chene in Norfolk. Kirby's Quest lists both John de Ken and Walter de Ken in Somerset during the first year's reign of Edward I. 3 4 Early History of the Ken familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ken research. Another 180 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1170, 1176, 1332, 1637, 1685, 1711 and 1753 are included under the topic Early Ken History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ken Spelling VariationsCornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Kenn, Ken, Kenne and others. Early Notables of the Ken familyNotable amongst the family at this time was - Thomas Ken (1637-1711), Bishop of Bath and Wells and hymn writer
| Ken migration to the United States | + |
In the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Ken
Ken Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Edward, Henry and Richard Ken, who, who sailed to Virginia in 1654
- Edward Ken, who landed in Virginia in 1654 5
- Hen Ken, who landed in Virginia in 1654 5
- Richard Ken, who arrived in Virginia in 1654 5
Ken Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- John Ken, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 5
- Fredrick Ken, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 5
- Adam Ken to Charles Town, South Carolina in 1764
- Lebreght Ken to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1786
- Lefreght Ken, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1786 5
Ken Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Robert Ken, aged 28, who landed in New York, NY in 1822 5
- Abraham Ken, aged 60, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1860 5
| Contemporary Notables of the name Ken (post 1700) | + |
- Andrew Ken Thomas (b. 1999), American football offensive tackle for the New York Giants of the National Football League
- Sergeant Murray Ken Hudson (1938-1974), New Zealand soldier awarded the George Cross
- Ken Rosato, American journalist who served as the morning anchor for WABC-TV in New York City from 2007 until 2023
- Ken Bruen (1951-2025), Irish writer from Galway, known for his noir crime fiction
- Ken Ackerman (b. 1960), American television news anchor and reporter
- Ken LeBlanc (b. 1967), Canadian entrepreneur, franchisor, and real estate analyst
- Ken Rosenthal (1944-2025), American businessman, founder of Panera Bread (1997), founded St. Louis Bread Company (1987) with wife Linda Rosenthal
- Ken Newland (1949-2025), Australian rules footballer who made 216 appearances in the VFL from 1965 to 1978
- Ken Lockie (b. 1956), English singer/songwriter and keyboard player
- Ken Daugereau, American researcher with Baker Hughes Drilling Fluids
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- 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)
 |
