Surname Mc Kenna - Meaning and Origin
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Mc Kenna: What does the surname Mc Kenna mean?
The last name McKenna is of Irish origin and derives from the Gaelic "Mac Cionaoith," meaning "son of Cionaoith". The name Cionaoith itself is composed of two elements - "cion" meaning respect or affection, and "Aodh" a personal name typically associated with fire, thus altogether suggesting 'beloved of Aodh' or 'fire loved'. The McKennas were a powerful clan based primarily in the region of Truagh in County Monaghan, Ireland. Over time, the name has experienced numerous spelling variations. Regardless, those possessing the McKenna surname trace their ancestry back to Ireland, and more specifically to a common ancestor in the form of Cionaoith.
Order DNA origin analysisMc Kenna: Where does the name Mc Kenna come from?
The last name McKenna is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cionaoith", meaning "son of Cionnaith" or "son of the beloved one". The name has its roots in the northern province of Ulster, predominantly in County Monaghan, which is where the McKenna family had their ancestral home. Today, the name McKenna is quite prevalent in Ireland, particularly in the county of its origin. Nevertheless, due to Irish emigration (particularly during the time of the Great Famine), the last name spread to various parts of the world. As a consequence, the name McKenna is also reasonably common in countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia where there are substantial Irish diaspora communities.
Variations of the surname Mc Kenna
The surname Mc Kenna is of Irish origin, stemming from the Gaelic name Mac Cionaoith. It can be found in various forms due to regional pronunciations, translations, and misinterpretations. Variants and spelling options for this surname may include McKenna, M'Kenna, Mackenna, MacKenna, and McKena.
Other variants could include MacCionaoith, MacKane, MacKanna, MacKenny, and Mackenney, which are seen as part of the anglicization process of the name. Equally, variations may be found with slight spelling differences such as MacKena or MacKeena. Additionally, some family lines may have dropped the 'Mc' or 'Mac' prefix over time, leading to versions such as Kenna, Kenneth or Kennagh.
An abbreviated version of the surname could even be seen as Ken or Kenn. Furthermore, it's essential to note that spelling was not standardized until recently in human history, producing a wide range of spelling variations based on phonetic interpretation and records from different points in time.
Famous people with the name Mc Kenna
- Terence McKenna: An American ethnobotarist, mystic, psychonaut, and author known for his views on psychedelic mushrooms.
- Ryan McKenna: Known as the 'Super Bowl Selfie Kid', he became famous after taking a selfie with Justin Timberlake during the Super Bowl LII halftime show.
- Simon McKenna: An Australian rules footballer who played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League.
- Meg McKenna: A retired United States soccer forward and former member of the United States women's national soccer team.
- Matt McKenna: An American voice actor popular for his work on "American Dad!".
- Joel McKenna: A stunt performer known for his work in films like Jurassic World, and Transformers: Age of Extinction.
- Declan McKenna: An English singer, songwriter, and musician known for winning the Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent Competition.
- Paul McKenna: An English hypnotist, behavioural scientist, and author of self-help books.
- Siobhan McKenna: A prominent Irish actress who worked on stage, film, and television, renowned for her performances in Shakespearean works.
- Sean Mckenna: An Irish cyclist who achieved a gold medal in the 2017 An Post Rás. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and there may be more famous people with the surname 'McKenna'.