| ![Show Contents]() Kennedy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland The saga of the name Kennedy begins with a Strathclyde-Briton family in the ancient Scottish/English Borderlands. It is a name for a dour or serious person. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Gaelic nickname Cinneididh, which translates as grim-headed. It is doubtful that there is any ancient relationship between the Irish Kennedys and the Scottish Clan. The Irish Kennedy's history dates back to about 900 AD, and there did not appear to be any direct relationship between the two families. However, in the 16th century, a sept of the Scottish Kennedy Clan did develop in Ulster, but they are undoubtedly migrants from Scotland, and had no previous link to the southern Irish Kennedys. Early Origins of the Kennedy familyThe surname Kennedy was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where the earliest record of them dates from 1185, during the reign of King William the Lion, when a Henry Kennedy was reported to have been involved in a rebellion in Galloway but died in battle. The Kennedys derived from a branch of Celtic Earls of Galloway (not to be confused with Gallway, which is in Ireland). Their power and influence in that region was great. In fact, there is a rhyme handed down through clansmen and bards from the year 1300 which runs as follows: 'Twixt Wigtown and the town of Ayr, Portpatrick and the Cruives of Cree. No man need think to bide there, unless he court with Kennedy.' 1 Early History of the Kennedy familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kennedy research. Another 246 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1170, 1296, 1406, 1437, 1451, 1480, 1508, 1509, 1513, 1515, 1527, 1541, 1558, 1573, 1576, 1615, 1646, 1653, 1668, 1701 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Kennedy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Kennedy Spelling VariationsSpelling and translation were hardly exact sciences in Medieval Scotland. Sound, rather than any set of rules, was the basis for spellings, so one name was often spelled different ways even within a single document. Spelling variations are thus an extremely common occurrence in Medieval Scottish names. Kennedy has been spelled Kennedy, Kannady, Kenardy, Kennaday, Kenneday, Kenneyday, Kennediem, MacKennedy, MacUalraig (Gaelic) and many more. Early Notables of the Kennedy familyNotable amongst the family at this time was - Gilbert Kennedy, 1st Lord Kennedy (c. 1406-c. 1480)
- John Kennedy, 2nd Lord Kennedy (1451-1508)
- David Kennedy, 3rd Lord Kennedy (d. 1513) (created Earl of Cassilis in 1509)
- David Kennedy, 1st Earl of Cassilis (d. 1513)
- Gilbert Kennedy, 2nd Earl of Cassilis (d. 1527)
- Gilbert Kennedy, 3rd Earl of Cassilis (1515-1558)
- Gilbert Kennedy, 4th Earl of Cassilis (c. 1541-1576)
- John Kennedy, 5th Earl of Cassilis (c. 1573-1615)
- John Kennedy, 6th Earl of Cassilis, PC (d. 1668), a Scottish peer
Kennedy World RankingIn the United Kingdom, the name Kennedy is the 131st most popular surname with an estimated 38,674 people with that name. 2 However, in Australia, the name Kennedy is ranked the 70th most popular surname with an estimated 33,714 people with that name. 3 And in New Zealand, the name Kennedy is the 98th popular surname with an estimated 4,038 people with that name. 4 Canada ranks Kennedy as 82nd with 30,952 people. 5 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Kennedy as 36th with 600 people. 6 The United States ranks Kennedy as 137th with 166,629 people. 7 Migration of the Kennedy family to IrelandSome of the Kennedy family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 77 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Kennedy migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Kennedy Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century- Miss Ann Kennedy, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years , transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Kennedy Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. Thomas Kennedy, Irish convict who was convicted in Meath, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
- Mr. Dennis Kennedy, British convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
- Mr. James Kennedy, British convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
- Mr. Robert Kennedy, British convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
- William Henry Kennedy, English convict from Kent, who was transported aboard the "Ann" on August 1809, settling in New South Wales, Australia 11
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Kennedy 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: Kennedy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- John Mark Kennedy, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
- Donald Kennedy, who landed in Kawakawa, New Zealand in 1840
- J Kennedy, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1841
- Thomas Kennedy, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Lady Nugent
- Margaret Kennedy, aged 24, a servant, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1841
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Kennedy migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Kennedy Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century- Mr. Kennedy Patrick U.E. born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA from Maryland, USA who settled in Parr Town [Saint John], New Brunswick c. 1783 he was a passenger aboard the ship Martha which wrecked before arriving at Saint John 12
- Mr. Kennedy William U.E. (b. 1753) born in Somerset, Maryland, USA who settled in Sunbury County, New Brunswick c. 1783 then in 1799 Whitchurch, King township [Aurora] Ontario he enlisted in 1776 serving in the Queens Own Loyal Virginia Regiment and Prince of Wales Regiment under Captain Daniel Lyman 12
- Mr. Kennedy Charles U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 191 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 28, 1783 at Staten Island, New York, USA 12
- Mr. Kennedy David U.E. who settled in Parr Town [Saint John], New Brunswick c. 1784 12
- Mr. Kennedy John U.E. who settled in Parr Town [Saint John], New Brunswick c. 1784 12
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Kennedy Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Donald Kennedy, aged 45, a farmer, who arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia aboard the ship "Commerce" in 1803
- Margaret Kennedy, aged 35, who arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia aboard the ship "Commerce" in 1803
- Janet Kennedy, aged 10, who arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia aboard the ship "Commerce" in 1803
- John Kennedy, aged 8, who arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia aboard the ship "Commerce" in 1803
- Robert Kennedy, aged 6, who arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia aboard the ship "Commerce" in 1803
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Kennedy migration to the United States | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Kennedy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Catherine Kennedy, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 13
- David Kennedy, who landed in New Jersey in 1685 13
Kennedy Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Margaret Kennedy, who landed in Virginia in 1716 13
- David Kennedy, who arrived in Boston in 1737
- Janette Kennedy, who landed in Connecticut in 1741 13
- Darby Kennedy, who arrived in America in 1742
- Matthew Kennedy, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1747 13
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Kennedy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Peter Kennedy, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1802 13
- Gilbert Kennedy, who arrived in Ohio in 1804 13
- Hector Kennedy, who settled in Philadelphia in 1806
- Rachel Kennedy, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 13
- Dennis Kennedy, aged 48, who arrived in New York in 1812 13
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Contemporary Notables of the name Kennedy (post 1700) | + |
- Sir Ludovic Henry Coverley Kennedy FRSL (1919-2009), Scottish journalist, broadcaster, humanist and author
- Ian Kennedy (1932-2022), Scottish artist from Dundee, Scotland who worked for D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd, then later for Amalgamated Press
- Archibald Angus Charles Kennedy (1956-2015), 8th Marquess of Ailsa, 19th Earl of Cassilis, 21st Lord Kennedy, 8th Baron Ailsa, a Scottish peer, Chief of Clan Kennedy
- Alison Louise Kennedy (b. 1965), Scottish writer of novels, short stories and non-fiction
- James Kennedy (1928-1968), Scottish novelist
- Henry Mark Kennedy (1952-2024), American jurist who served as Associate Justice on the Alabama Supreme Court from 1989 to 1999
- Moorhead Cowell Kennedy Jr. (1930-2024), American Foreign Service officer who was among 52 Americans held hostage for 444 days during the Iran hostage crisis
- Edward Coverley Kennedy (1879-1939), British Royal Navy officer who is remembered as the captain of the armed merchant cruiser HMS Rawalpindi who engaged the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau
- Donald J. "Don" Kennedy (1930-2023), American radio and television personality and voice talent, whose career began in the late 1940s with a radio announcer spot on Pennsylvania station WPIC
- Diana Kennedy MBE (1923-2022), née Southwood, a British food writer, an authority on Mexican cuisine
- ... (Another 40 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Historic Events for the Kennedy family | + |
- Master William David Kennedy (1917-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 14
- Mrs. Florence D. Kennedy (1888-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 14
- Mrs. Hilda M. Kennedy (1900-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 14
- Master James Clifford Kennedy (1917-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 14
- Samuel Kennedy (d. 1942), British Chief Engineer Room Artificer aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 16
- George Raymond Kennedy (d. 1942), British Ordinary Seaman aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 16
- Mr. Lance Kennedy (d. 2005), "Ken" British 1st Class Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales and survived the sinking 17
- Mr. Thomas Kennedy, British Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 17
- Mr. George Kennedy, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 18
- Mr. Anthony James Kennedy, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 18
- William Thomas Kennedy (1913-1939), British Petty Officer with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 19
- Richard Hamilton Kennedy (d. 1939), British Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 19
- Mr. John Kennedy, English Extra Fourth Baker from England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 20
- Mr. John Kennedy, English Trimmer from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 20
- Mr. John James Kennedy, English Trimmer from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 20
- Mrs. Caroline Carrie Kennedy, American 1st Class Passenger from New York, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 20
- Mr. John Joseph Kennedy, aged 24, Irish Third Class passenger from Watergate, Limerick who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived in the sinking in life boat 15 21
SS Southern Cross - Mr. Samuel Kennedy (1893-1914), Newfoundlander from Seal Cove who was aboard the "SS Southern Cross" when it is suspected she sank between the 31st March 1914 and early April during the storm with a heavy load of pelts; no survivors were ever found
- Mr. Alva Thomas Kennedy, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
- Mrs. Reb M. Kennedy, (nee Connell), American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
- Mr. Evelyn Pauline Kennedy, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
- Mr. Charles Eugene Kennedy, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
USS Indianapolis - Andrew Jackson Kennedy Jr., American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 22
- Robert Arthur Kennedy, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 22
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Avise la fin
Motto Translation: Consider the end.
| Suggested Readings for the name Kennedy | + |
- Alford-Kennedy Family History by Eileen Alford.
- Ancestors and Kin by Mary Kennedy Reynolds.
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
- "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
- "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
- 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)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
- State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Ann voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1809 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/ann/1809
- Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
- 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)
- 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
- HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
- Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
- HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
- 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
- Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
- Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
- Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew
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