Where the Kennedy name comes from

Kennedy came into English from both Irish and Scottish Gaelic, and the Irish family and the Scottish clan are unrelated to one another. The Irish form is Ó Cinnéide, grandson of Cinnéide, a personal name built from words meaning helmet-headed. That older name is on record as Cennétig mac Lorcáin, father of the high king Brian Boru. A second reading takes the surname from Ó Ceannéidigh, joining ceann, meaning head, with éidigh, meaning ugly or fierce. Some readings give ceann the sense of chief or leader instead.

The Scottish Kennedys are a clan of Carrick, in Ayrshire. Their Gaelic name is Ceannaideach, which pairs ceann with aideach, also meaning ugly. Cannedy and Kennady are recorded spellings of the same name.