MCKENNA
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Kenna, Mc'Kenna, Mc'kenna, Mckenna
The surname McKenna is of Gaelic origin and was first found in the British Isles, particularly within the island of Ireland.
It is an anglicised form of the Gaelic patronymic Mac Cionaoith, which literally means “son of Cionaodh.” The personal name Cionaodh itself is composed of the elements cion, meaning “respect” or “affection,” and Aodh, the name of the ancient Irish god of fire. Consequently the surname can be interpreted as “son of the passionate one” or “son of the one with respect.”
Historical references trace the surname back to the mid‑thirteenth century. The first known recorded spelling, “Kennauch Makyny,” appears in the Chartulary of the Priory of St. Andrew dated 1264, during the reign of King Alexander II of Scotland. Later documents of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries record variants such as William M'Kinnay and Alexander M'Kinnie, evidence of the name’s presence in Galloway.
In Ireland the McKennas belong to a branch of the great Ui Neill dynasty that migrated to County Meath before establishing themselves in the modern barony of Trough in County Monaghan. Medieval records list the family as lords of Truagh and note their contribution to literature, with figures such as Niall MacKenna (born 1700). The family’s coat of arms, recorded by heraldic authorities, features a green shield edged with a silver fess between three gold lions’ heads facing forward.
During the Great Irish Famine of the nineteenth century, many McKennas emigrated to North America, Australasia and the United Kingdom. Today the surname is most common in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, particularly in Northern Ireland and Scotland. In each of these countries, the name occurs alongside a number of spelling variations that reflect regional pronunciations and the process of anglicisation.
The most frequent variants are MacKenna, Makenna, McKennie, McKenzie, MacKenny, Kenny, Kenney and Kennoy. In Scotland the form McKenzie is particularly widespread, having been adapted from the original Gaelic as the name spread south across the island.
Across all regions the surname McKenna remains a recognised indicator of Irish heritage linked to a patronymic origin, a significant medieval lineage and a widespread diaspora that continues to preserve the name in contemporary society.
Typical given names associated with the McKenna surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Peter
- Stephen
- Thomas
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Kathleen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Maccanna
- Macanna
- Maccana
- Mckenn
- Mackean
- Mackena
- Mackenna
- Mackennal
- Mackennall
- Mackennie
- Mackenny
- Makenna
- Mcanea
- Mcanna
- Mccann
- Mccanna
- Mckain
- Mckaine
- Mckane
- Mckann
- Mckanna
- Mckean
- Mckeana
- Mckeane
- Mckeean
- Mckeena
- Mckeenan
- Mckeene
- Mckein
- Mckenan
- Mckennah
- Mckennall
- Mckennan
- Mckennar
- Mckenne
- Mckennea
- Mckenner
- Mckenney
- Mckennie
- Mckenny
- Mckeny
- Mckeonn
- Mckinna
- Maccann
- Macenas
- Mcann
- Mccanne
- Mccayna
- Mckenary
- Mckennell
- Mckennett
- Mckernan
- Mckinay
- Mckinn
- Mckinnell
- Mckinney
- Mckinnon
- MacKen
- Makin
- Maughan
- McCune
- McKen
- McKone
- McQueen
- McQuinn
- Meakin
- Meekin
- Meighan
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname McKenna in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname McKenna are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Jaffa Cake.
There are approximately 18,885 people named McKenna in the UK. That makes it the 459th most common surname in Britain. Around 290 in a million people in Britain are named McKenna.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named McKenna
- Declan McKenna - Musician
- Scott McKenna - Scottish football player
- Megan McKenna - Reality television personality from Essex
- Terence McKenna - American ethnobotanist (1946 to 2000)
- Marty McKenna -
- Virginia McKenna - Actress
- Paul McKenna - Hypnotist, author
- Mia McKenna-Bruce - Actress
- Jimmy McKenna - Scottish actor
- Gail McKenna - Model and television presenter
- Reginald McKenna - Banker and Liberal politician (1863 to 1943)
- Kevin McKenna - (1945 to 2019)
- Paul McKenna - Football player
- Ted McKenna - Musician (1950 to 2019)
- Ken McKenna - Football player
- Stephen Duke-McKenna - Football player
- Robert McKenna - Comedian (1933 to 2009)
- Ben McKenna - Football player
- Conor McKenna - Australian rules football player
- Rosemary McKenna - Politician
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.