Kennedy, with variant forms O'Kennedy and Kennedie, is a surname and a given name of Irish and Scottish origins.
Origins There have been several etymologies given for the surname. One is that the name is an Anglicisation of Ó Cinnéide, which means "grandson of Cinnédidh" or "grandson of Cinnéidigh". Both of these personal names are derived from Irish words meaning "helmet-headed". Ceanéidigh could be related to the old Irish name Cennétig, which is known from Cennétig mac Lorcáin, the father of the Irish high king Brian mac Cennétig, who was also known as Brian Bóruma or Brian Boru. There is an Irish Kennedy family and a Scottish Kennedy clan in Carrick, Ayrshire, which are unrelated to one another.
Another possibility is that Kennedy is an Anglicisation of the Irish Ó Ceannéidigh, meaning "grandson of Ceannéidigh". Ceannéidigh is a given name derived from the Irish word ceann, meaning "head", and éidigh, meaning "ugly" or "fierce". Some etymologies also suggest that the element ceann could mean "chief" or "leader".
Name lists Adam Kennedy, several people Alan Kennedy, several people Alex Kennedy, several people Alfred Kennedy, several people Andrew Kennedy, several people Andy Kennedy, several people Angus Kennedy, several people Ann Kennedy, several people Arthur Kennedy, several people Ben Kennedy, several people Bill Kennedy, several people Billy Kennedy, several people Brian Kennedy, several people Bryan Kennedy, several people Catherine Kennedy, several people Cathy Kennedy, several people Charles Kennedy, several people Chris Kennedy, several people Daniel Kennedy, several people David Kennedy, several people Donald Kennedy, several people Douglas Kennedy, several people Duncan Kennedy, several people Ed Kennedy, several people Edward Kennedy, several people Elizabeth Kennedy, several people Francis Kennedy, several people Gene Kennedy, several people George Kennedy, several people Grace Kennedy, several people Graham Kennedy, several people Greg Kennedy, several people Harrison Kennedy, several people Harry Kennedy, several people Henry Kennedy, several people Howard Kennedy, several people Hugh Kennedy, several people Ian Kennedy, several people Jack Kennedy, several people James Kennedy, several people Jamie Kennedy, several people Jason Kennedy, several people Joan Kennedy, several people John Kennedy, several people Joseph Kennedy, several people Kate Kennedy, several people Kathleen Kennedy, several people Les Kennedy, several people Margaret Kennedy, several people Marjorie Kennedy, several people Mark Kennedy, several people Martin Kennedy, several people Mary Kennedy, several people Matthew Kennedy, several people Maurice Kennedy, several people Michael Kennedy, several people Mick Kennedy, several people Norman Kennedy, several people Paddy Kennedy, several people Pat Kennedy, several people Patrick Kennedy, several people Paul Kennedy, several people Peter Kennedy, several people Philip Kennedy, several people Ralph Kennedy, several people Ray Kennedy, several people Richard Kennedy, several people Robert Kennedy, several people Ronald Kennedy, several people Rose Kennedy, several people Sam Kennedy, several people Sarah Kennedy, several people Scott Kennedy, several people Seamus Kennedy, several people Sean Kennedy, several people Stephen Kennedy, several people Ted Kennedy, several people Terry Kennedy, several people Thomas Kennedy, several people Timothy Kennedy, several people Walter Kennedy, several people William Kennedy, several people
In arts and entertainment A. L. Kennedy (Alison Louise Kennedy, born 1965), Scottish novelist Adam Kennedy (actor) (1922–1997), American actor, screenwriter, novelist, painter Adam Kennedy (musician) (born 1986), Canadian musician and producer Alexis Kennedy (born 1972), British writer and game designer Andrew Karpati Kennedy (1931–2016), Hungarian-born British author, literary critic and academic Arthur Kennedy (1914–1990), American actor Bailey Anne Kennedy, Cambodian-American beauty pageant winner Betty Kennedy, retired Canadian senator, television personality Bill Kennedy (actor) (1908–1997), American actor and television personality Brian Kennedy (singer) (born 1966), Irish singer and songwriter Cory Kennedy (model), American Internet celebrity Darren Kennedy, Irish television presenter, fashion writer and stylist Dermot Kennedy (born 1992), Irish singer-songwriter Diane Kennedy (1923–2022), British food journalist Douglas Kennedy, UK-based American novelist Edgar Kennedy (1890–1948), American actor George Kennedy (1925–2016), American actor Gerard Kennedy (actor) (1932–2025), Australian actor Graeme K. (Graeme Kennedy), American musician Graham Kennedy, Australian comedian and television presenter Harrison Kennedy (musician) (born 1942), Canadian blues, R&B, and soul blues musician Jamie Kennedy, American comedian and actor Jane Kennedy (actress) (born 1964), Australian actress Jerry Kennedy (1940–2026), American record producer, songwriter and guitar player Kathleen Kennedy (producer) (born 1953), American film producer Lena Kennedy, English romantic novelist Leon S. Kennedy, frequent character in the Resident Evil franchise Les Kennedy (journalist) (1958–2011), Australian journalist Lisa Kennedy Montgomery (born 1972), stage name Kennedy, American political satirist and former MTV VJ Liza Kennedy (born 1989), Japanese model Louise Kennedy (writer) (born 1967), Irish writer Lucy Napaljarri Kennedy, Indigenous Australian artist Ludovic Kennedy, British journalist, broadcaster, and author Margaret Kennedy (1896–1967), English novelist Martha Kennedy (born 1951), American curator at the Library of Congress Mary Kennedy, Irish television personality Merna Kennedy (1908–1944), American actress Michael Kennedy (1926–2014), English music critic Mr. Kennedy, the ring name used by American professional wrestler Ken Anderson (born 1976) during his time in WWE Mimi Kennedy (born 1948), American actress, author, and activist Myles Kennedy (born 1969), American rock singer and guitarist Nigel Kennedy, English violinist Patrick Kennedy, British theatre director Rann Kennedy (1772–1851), English schoolteacher, church minister and poet Richard Kennedy (author) (1932–2025), American children's book writer Roisin Kennedy, Irish art critic and curator Sara Beaumont Kennedy (1859–1920), American writer and newspaper editor Sarah Kennedy (born 1950), British television and radio broadcaster Sean J. Kennedy, American drumset player, percussionist, author and educator Sheila Kennedy, American model and actress, Penthouse model in the early 1980s Sheila Kennedy (architect), American architect Tom Kennedy (television host) (1927–2020), stage name of American game show host James Narz Tully Kennedy, bass guitarist, Jason Aldean band William Kennedy (author) (born 1928), American writer and journalist X. J. Kennedy (1929–2026), American poet, translator, anthologist, editor, and author
In politics and government
Members of the American Kennedy political family
Caroline Kennedy (born 1957), American author, attorney and diplomat; daughter of John and Jacqueline Kennedy; married to Edwin Schlossberg and mother of three Carolyn Bessette Kennedy (1966–1999), born Carolyn Jeanne Bessette, American fashion publicist and wife of John F. Kennedy Jr. Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy (1932–2009), senior US senator from Massachusetts, married twice and father of three Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy Jr. (born 1961), state senator from Connecticut, son of Ted Kennedy Ethel Kennedy (1928–2024), born Ethel Skakel, widow of Robert Francis Kennedy and mother of Kathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend, Joseph Patrick Kennedy II, Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., Mary Kerry Kennedy, and other seven Eunice Kennedy Shriver (1921–2009), born Eunice Mary Kennedy, Special Olympics founder and sister of President John F. Kennedy; married to Robert Sargent Shriver Jr. and mother of five children with Robert Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929–1994), born Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, First Lady of the United States; widow of John F. Kennedy and member of the Bouvier family Jean Kennedy Smith (1928–2020), born Jean Ann Kennedy, ambassador to Ireland; youngest sister of President John F. Kennedy, married to Stephen Edward Smith and mother of four Joan Bennett Kennedy (1936–2025), born Virginia Joan Bennett, first wife of Edward Moore Kennedy, mother of three John F. "Jack" Kennedy (1917–1963), 35th president of the United States from 1961 to 1963 John F. Kennedy Jr. (1960–1999), attorney, publisher; son of John and Jacqueline Joseph P. "Joe" Kennedy Sr. (1888–1969), Kennedy family patriarch, ambassador to the United Kingdom; and father of President John F. Kennedy Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (1915–1944), WWII pilot; eldest son of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. Joseph P. Kennedy II (born 1952), US representative from Massachusetts; eldest son of Robert F. Kennedy Joseph P. "Joe" Kennedy III (born 1980), US representative from Massachusetts; son of Joseph P. Kennedy II Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington (1920–1948), born Kathleen Agnes Kennedy, widow of the heir to the Devonshire dukedom; younger sister of President John F. Kennedy Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (born 1951), born Kathleen Hartington Kennedy, lieutenant governor of Maryland; eldest daughter of Robert F. Kennedy Kerry Kennedy (born 1959), born Mary Kerry Kennedy, lawyer, human rights activist; daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, previously married to Andrew Cuomo and mother of three Mary Richardson Kennedy (1959–2012), born Mary Kathleen Richardson, architect; and second wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and mother of four Patricia Kennedy Lawford (1924–2006), born Patricia Helen Kennedy, younger sister of President John F. Kennedy, previously married to Peter Lawford and mother of four Patrick J. Kennedy (born 1967), US representative from Rhode Island, son of Ted Kennedy P. J. Kennedy (1858–1929), state senator from Massachusetts, father of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. Robert F. Kennedy (1925–1968), US senator from New York; US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (born 1954), attorney, environmentalist, activist; and son of Robert F. Kennedy Rose Kennedy (1890–1995), born Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Kennedy family matriarch; mother of President John F. Kennedy Rosemary Kennedy (1918–2005), born Rose Marie Kennedy, eldest daughter of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.
Other Kennedys involved in politics Alfred J. Kennedy (1877–1944), New York politician Ambrose Jerome Kennedy (1893–1950), American politician Annie Brown Kennedy, American politician Anthony Kennedy, US Supreme Court Associate Justice Arthur Kennedy, British colonial administrator Bela E. Kennedy (1918–2008), Michigan state legislator Betty Kennedy, retired Canadian senator, television personality Cary Kennedy, Colorado politician Charles Kennedy (1959–2015), Scottish politician, leader of the Liberal Democrats Claudia J. Kennedy, first female lieutenant general in the US Army, noted intelligence officer David Kennedy (Australian politician) (born 1940), Australian politician David M. Kennedy (politician), 60th Secretary of the Treasury of the United States of America, and US Ambassador to NATO Edward J. Kennedy (1951–2025), American politician Edward Joseph Kennedy (1851–?), Irish nationalist politician, Member of Parliament for South Sligo Eleanora Kennedy (fl. 1990's–2020's), American business woman, activist, and Ireland-based racehorse owner, wife of Michael John Kennedy Gerard Kennedy, Canadian politician Helena Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws, Scottish barrister, writer and politician Hiram Raleigh Kennedy, American politician John Neely Kennedy, Louisiana United States Senator and Republican politician John Pendleton Kennedy (1795–1870), Maryland author and politician, Secretary of the Navy in the Filmore administration Judy Kennedy, New York state politician Leland T. Kennedy, US Air Force pilot twice awarded the Air Force Cross Mark Kennedy, American politician