The Irish Kennedy surname explained: descent from Brian Boru’s brother, the Lords of Ormond in Tipperary, the unrelated Kennedy families, JFK’s roots and which DNA test to take.

The main Irish Kennedy family (Ó Cinnéide) descends from Brian Boru’s family, though not from Brian himself. The name comes from Cennétig, Brian’s father, and the family’s founder was Brian’s nephew, a son of his brother Donncuan. The Kennedys began near Killaloe in east Clare, then moved into north Tipperary, where they ruled as Lords of Ormond for over four hundred years.

Origin of the name

Kennedy is one of the few Irish surnames formed from a name in Brian Boru’s own family. According to John Grenham, the family claim descent from a nephew of Brian Boru, and they became one of the most powerful families of the Dál gCais. The personal name Cinnéide is usually glossed as “helmeted head”, though older writers also translate it as “rough-headed”.

From Clare to Ormond

The Kennedys were first seated at Glenomra in east Clare, an area that matches the modern parish of Killokennedy, in the hills west of Killaloe. Patrick Woulfe records that they were pushed out early on by the O’Briens and MacNamaras and resettled across the Shannon in the baronies of Upper and Lower Ormond in Tipperary. There they became far more numerous and powerful than they had been in Clare.

From the 12th to the 16th century the Kennedys ranked as Lords of Ormond. As the family grew it divided into three branches known by the colouring of their founders: Fionn, Donn and Ruadh. Nenagh is at the centre of their old territory, which is why Kennedy remains one of the most common surnames in north Tipperary.

Not every Kennedy is Dalcassian

This matters if you’re researching your own line. At least one other unrelated Ó Cinnéide family lived in County Galway as a branch of the Uí Maine, and Y-DNA testing has shown that some north Tipperary Kennedys descend from an older local population with a different Y-DNA signature from the Dál gCais. Scottish Kennedys, from Ayrshire and Galloway, are a separate family again. Two Kennedys can both have genuine Irish roots without sharing a medieval ancestor.

JFK and the Kennedy name

President John F. Kennedy’s great-grandfather Patrick Kennedy emigrated from Dunganstown, County Wexford, during the Famine era. The family’s origins before Wexford have never been proven, so JFK’s descent from the Dalcassian Kennedys is a claim rather than an established fact. The Kennedy Homestead at Dunganstown and the Dunbrody Famine Ship in nearby New Ross are both open to visitors.

Kennedy DNA

Because the Kennedy surname has more than one origin, Y-DNA testing is the only way to find out which Kennedy family you belong to. A Dalcassian Kennedy should test positive for R-L226 (Irish Type III). Start with a Y-37 test and join the Kennedy surname project at Family Tree DNA, where volunteer administrators sort members into genetic families. Upgrade to Big Y-700 if you match the Dalcassian group. For records and cousin matches, AncestryDNA is strongest for emigrant families. Read our DNA guide for what each result means.

Kennedy places to visit

• Killokennedy parish, east Clare: the family’s first home, in the hills west of Killaloe.
• Nenagh and the Ormond baronies: the heart of the Lords of Ormond, with Nenagh Castle’s round keep in the town centre. See places to stay in Nenagh.
• Killaloe: 20 minutes from Nenagh, where the Kennedys’ ancestor Cennétig and his son Brian Boru ruled. Plan it with our Brian Boru trail.
• Dunganstown and New Ross, County Wexford: for JFK’s family story.

Related Dál gCais surnames

The Kennedys’ closest link is to the O’Briens, Brian’s direct line. See also the Hogans, who also settled in Ormond, the MacNamaras, O’Gradys, McGraths, MacMahons and Caseys, or browse all Brian Boru kindred surnames.

Frequently asked questions

Are the Kennedys descended from Brian Boru?

Not directly. The Dalcassian Kennedys descend from Brian’s brother Donncuan, so Brian is a great-uncle figure in their family tree. The name itself comes from Brian’s father, Cennétig.

Is Kennedy an Irish or Scottish name?

Both. The Irish Kennedys come from Ó Cinnéide. The Scottish Kennedys of Ayrshire and Galloway are a separate family.

What does Kennedy mean?

It means “descendant of Cinnéide”, a personal name usually translated as “helmeted head”.

Was JFK descended from Brian Boru’s family?

It has never been proven. His ancestors came from County Wexford, and their earlier origins are unknown.

Sources

1. John Grenham, Kennedy surname history, Irish Ancestors.
2. Patrick Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames: Ó Cinnéide (1923).
3. Wikipedia, O’Kennedy.