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Kensett Family History

Kensett Surname Meaning

From an unrecorded Middle English female personal name Kinseth, Old English Cyneswīð is a compound derived from Old English cynn ‘family kin’ + Old English swīð ‘strong’. This name has not been found in the medieval records of Hants or Sussex, so the post-medieval Sussex bearers cited below may alternatively belong with (2).

See Kingett and compare Thomas Kynsett 1610, Elizabeth Kinget 1641 in IGI (Birlingham, Worcs). There may have been confusion of Kingett with the names in (1) and (3).

Perhaps a colloquial pronunciation of Kingswood, a surname that historically has a somewhat similar distribution to that of Kensett and Kinzett.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Kensett family from?

You can see how Kensett families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kensett family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kensett families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 25 Kensett families living in Surrey. This was about 21% of all the recorded Kensett's in United Kingdom. Surrey had the highest population of Kensett families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kensett surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Kensett ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Gardener and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kensett. 15% of Kensett men worked as a Gardener and 89% of Kensett women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kensett were Chauffeur and Unpaid Household Duties.

View Census Data for Kensett | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

England shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Gardener
    15%
  • Gas Fitter
    15%
  • Carpenter joiner
    15%
  • Chauffeur
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • Domestic
    4%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    4%

What Kensett family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Kensett. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kensett census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Kensett

Passenger Lists

There are 355 immigration records available for the last name Kensett. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kensett immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 242 military records available for the last name Kensett. For the veterans among your Kensett ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kensett military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kensett family history

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What is the average Kensett lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2000, in the United States, Kensett life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1987, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Kensett in 1963 was 82, and 77 in 2000.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kensett

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kensett ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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