Cannady
An English- or Irish-rooted surname that likely developed as a local or family-name variant of Cannady/Cannady-type forms, though the exact origin is not securely pinned down from the excerpted evidence.
The #6,548 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 59,696 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The provided source does not give a direct etymology for Cannady, only an incidental historical mention of the name. In general, Cannady is often treated as a spelling variant of surnames such as Kennedy or of names ultimately connected with Irish or Anglo-Scottish naming traditions, but the exact pathway is not certain from the evidence here. The ending -dy fits a broad pattern of Anglicized surname forms that shifted in spelling over time.
History
The name is attested in the historical record in the 17th century in the excerpt provided, showing that it was already established by then. In modern usage it is found chiefly in the United States, where spellings of this type often reflect later Anglicization and regional variation. Because the excerpt is only incidental, it does not let us identify a single authoritative origin line.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The 2010 US Census counted about 5,172 bearers of Cannady, making it uncommon but still well established.
From the historical record
“L Married— GeoIEe Holcn. . _ . EliL Cannady: Si. Jm. T:klken«eil, i!i. 1668. — Ceorjre Holdcraft and Blii. Coannnr: ibid. 147. 1603. William Waterboue and Snaan”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances