Kennon
A surname of uncertain origin, probably a variant of Kennan/Kennan or related Irish forms.
The #8,178 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 76,177 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical sources you provided mention Kennon alongside Kennan, Kennedy, Kenny, and related Irish surnames, which suggests it may be a spelling variant or localized form rather than a single fixed original. In Irish contexts, such names are often connected with Gaelic personal names beginning with kin- or cean-, but the excerpts do not give enough detail to pin Kennon to one exact root with confidence. In English records, Kennon can also appear as a transferred or simplified spelling influenced by similar-sounding names such as Kenyon or Kennan.
History
The surname is recorded in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century surname lists from Ireland and in broader Anglo-American compilations, but the excerpts do not identify a single birthplace or family line. In modern use it is uncommon, with bearers found mainly in the United States and in English-speaking countries with Irish or British surname traditions. Because the name appears in clusters of similar surnames, its spelling may have varied in records over time.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The name shows up in old surname indexes grouped with several other Irish-looking surnames, which is often a clue that spelling was fluid in historical records.
From the historical record
“rriAc t?iTi5in, Kenning, Kennyon Kenyon, Kennon, Keenan, etc. rtlAc pn-n, MacKinn, MacKing. rriAC fTinneAcrA, ITJac pnneAC-”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames