Tracing the Kenneally Family Name

Seen on a gravestone or a census line, Kenneally usually leads back to Kennelly. Read literally, Kenneally points to “A grandson of Ceannfhaoladh (wolf head, or learned man)”. Records show Kenneally as one of the forms Kennelly took over time. Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists. Other spellings include Kenealy.

According to the 2010 US Census, the Kenneally surname had 1,287 bearers. That puts it among the top 25,000 US surnames.

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Kennelly surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon. Want more than a summary? See the Kenneally family name pack.