Surname Kidney - Meaning and Origin
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Kidney: What does the surname Kidney mean?
The last name Kidney is of English origin. It is a locational surname derived from the medieval personal name Cetin, which was popular in Somerset during the 13th and 14th centuries. The literal meaning of the name is "of the cyne's ahies", with "cyne" meaning “king” and "ahies" meaning “island”, which was probably referring to an island in the River Parrett near Ilchester. It is thought that the name was passed on to relatives of people who lived near the river and adapted to Kidney and other similar surnames.
The Kidney family first settled in Somerset, England, although today the name is also found in many other areas around Britain as well as countries around the world. The earliest recorded member of the Kidney family was Henry Le Ketin, which was -in 1273 in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex.
The Kidney surname remains a relatively rare surname today, but has a long and distinguished history with the family closely associated with early developments in the region. It is also thought that the Kidney surname is derived from the towns or locales in which the family name was first recorded, and that it is likely to have been adopted as a surname in the Middle Ages.
In modern times, the surname Kidney is often associated with people in various branches of the health and medical sector. The Kidney surname is an excellent indicator of the historic relationship between the family and the farming community. The Kidney family have been, and continue to be, an important component of the region's agricultural operations and have been connected with its growth and expansion from the earliest times.
Order DNA origin analysisKidney: Where does the name Kidney come from?
The last name Kidney is particularly common in countries of the British Isles, especially England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words 'Ceoden' and 'Cyninges', which mean 'Leader of the People' and 'Kings'. In England, the distribution of the name is spread out throughout the country, with significant clusters found in southern and east-central England. The name is also commonly found in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The frequency of the name in the United States is highest in the Southern and Midwestern states.
The Kidney surname has a relatively high frequency throughout the British Isles, with the majority of name bearers residing in England. In the UK, the Kidney surname is more frequent in some areas, such as East Anglia, the home counties of Kent and Surrey, and the East Midlands. The last name is particularly frequent in Cornwall.
In the United States, the group of states with the highest frequency of the name include Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and North Carolina. Outside of the United States and Europe, the places with the highest concentrations of the Kidney surname include New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.
Overall, the distribution of the Kidney surname is fairly broad and spread out. Although it is most commonly found in the United Kingdom and other former British colonies, it is also found in some parts of the United States and other countries.
Variations of the surname Kidney
The surname Kidney is derived from the old English word ‘cniht’ or ‘cnicht’, meaning a knight or a mounted soldier. It is found in several countries throughout the world and can have several variants, spellings and surname alternatives.
The most commonly seen variant is Kidney, with spellings such as Kydney, Kydnie, and Kydny being occasionally used. Surname alternatives are less common, but include Knott, Knight, Knighton, Kneightly and Knitlyne.
Outside of English dialects, variations such as Kydeny, Kudnieski, Kednycki, Chadne, Kinnett, Quidney, Koidano and Quini appear in other languages such as Dutch, Polish, French and Spanish, among others.
In North America, particularly in Irish and Scottish communities, native spellings and pronounciations such as Kedin, Kine and Kyne can be seen due to the influence of Gaelic and Celtic languages. In Australia, variations such as Kedney and Kidnye were common among immigrants who used them as natural and cultural adaptations.
In terms of etymological tracing, all of the above variants and spellings can be traced back to the original word cniht. In terms of the geographical distribution of the name, it can be most commonly found in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia and certain areas of Europe.
Famous people with the name Kidney
- Michael Kidney: an American actor best known for roles in TV series including Frasier, Close to Home, Judging Amy,and Parks and Recreation.
- Ondray Kidney: also known as Dreadhead Cowboy,an Atlanta-based musician and social media personality.
- Maryellen Kidney: the winner of the 2019 Miss Nebraska USA pageant.
- Clayton Kidney: an American film editor whose work includes Spider-Man, The Hangover, xXx: Return of Xander Cage, and Anchorman 2.
- Jeffrey Kidney: an American music producer who has worked with artists like Kanye West, 50 Cent, and Eve.
- Matt Kidney: a professional ice hockey player who has played in Sweden, Norway, and Finland.
- Ann Marie Kidney: a former model who appeared in music videos for Rihanna, Beyonce, and Lil Wayne.
- Edward Kidney: former President of the National Rifle Association.
- G. David Kidney: an American voice, television, and theatre actor.
- Rachael Kidney: a British singer-songwriter, best known for her song, "Smoke".