The Kenyon surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 12,891 people carried this name — #2,796 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 22,900 people counted. That is up 2% from 12,620 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Kenyon surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Kenyon’.

His entry covers Kenyon and Kenion.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 445 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Kenyon was found among the farmers of Lancashire: 25 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Lancashire 25

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In print

Kenyon in American newspapers,
1897–1926.

Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name Kenyon
The Anaconda Standard 1897-12-15
Newspaper page from Smyrna Times carrying the name Kenyon
Smyrna Times 1926-06-16
Newspaper page from The Ocala Banner carrying the name Kenyon
The Ocala Banner 1914-10-02

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,617 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Kenyon in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.

22,430 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Kenyon. The most, 4,051, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Victoria, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 7,749
Victoria 6,085
Queensland 5,456
South Australia 1,325
Tasmania 755
Western Australia 734
ACT (Canberra) 228
Northern Territory 16

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Kenyon.

Who carried it

People named Kenyon,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John R. Kenyon d. 2024 · librarian
  • Wayne G. Kenyon d. 2022 · teacher
  • Mary D'Arcy Kerr d. 1937
  • Iris Veronica Margaret Corbyn d. 1979
  • Georgina Mary Kenyon d. 1944
  • Jessie Willett d. 1906

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Kenyon,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,500 records

1,500 records of the Kenyon name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 479
  • New York State death index (outside NYC), 1957–2001 326
  • Other U.S. records 695
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Harry R. Kenyon

    Born 1901 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at Portland, Oregon; telegraph operator. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1979, buried at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Dale Dean Kenyon

    Born 1941; from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. U.S. Army, radio operator; killed in action 1968 in Kontum, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Eliza Kenyon

    Arrived at New York in 1857 aboard the William Tapscott from Liverpool, aged 33; house worker. From England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,500 records for Kenyon in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia632 records

632 records of the Kenyon name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 352
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 106
  • Other Australian records 174
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Eliza Kenyon

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lloyds, sailing from London in 1845. Native of Westmeath. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1849. Married 1851 in New Norfolk, Tasmania, aged 41.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Clementina Kenyon

    Died 1902 in Launceston, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1902.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record John Kenyon

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1848. Married 1848 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 28.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 632 records for Kenyon in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

United Kingdom48 records

48 records of the Kenyon name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 41
  • Welsh wills index cards 4
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 3
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Louisa Kenyon

    Will proved in 1931; of Brooklands, Chester.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. Kenyon

    York and Lancaster Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Mary Kenyon

    Will proved in 1886; of Bangor, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 48 records for Kenyon in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canada37 records

37 records of the Kenyon name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 14
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 7
  • Other Canadian records 16
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Alx Kenyon

    Came to Ontario in 1869 aboard the N American, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Leo Kenyon

    Died 1984, aged 77; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record John Kenyon

    Died 1896 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 37 records for Kenyon in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand4 records

4 records of the Kenyon name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 2
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Emily Mary Kenyon

    Died 1985, aged 84; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Francis Kenyon

    Died 1952; buried at Rangiora Lawn Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Keith Malcolm Kenyon

    Died 1986, aged 84; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Kenyon in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France3 records

3 records of the Kenyon name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Vera Winifred Kenyon

    Born 1898 in the United Kingdom; died 1992 in Levallois-Perret (Hauts-de-Seine).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Garry Kenyon

    Born 1960 in Great Britain; died 1999 in Vitrolles (Bouches-du-Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Thomas Derek Kenyon

    Born 1922 in Great Britain; died 2001 in Die (Drôme).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Kenyon.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Kenyon is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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