Kendall
A surname usually linked to Kendal in Westmorland, England, meaning “the valley of the River Kent.”
The #1,126 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 9,893 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Kendall is generally understood as a locational surname from Kendal in Westmorland, now Cumbria. The place-name is usually explained as meaning “Kent-dale,” the valley of the River Kent; older forms are tied to the town Kirkby-in-Kendal. The first element is the river name Kent, and the second is dale, meaning valley.
History
The surname appears in medieval records in forms such as de Kendale and de Kendall, showing its use by people identified with the town. Some 19th-century writers suggested alternative Cornish explanations for certain families named Kendall, but the main English surname is widely treated as coming from Westmorland. The name spread beyond northern England and is now well established in Britain, North America, and other English-speaking regions.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The town of Kendal became famous for “Kendal green,” a durable green cloth that helped make the place name widely known.
From the historical record
“KENCLARKE. See Clarke. KENDALL. Kent-dale, the valley of the Kent, a river of Westmoreland. The true name of the town known as Kendal is Kirkby -in- Kendale. The Kendalls of Cornwall, long and still resident at Pelyn, were formerly of Treworgy in that county, but there does not seem to be any proof of their…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Kendall
- Henry Way Kendall (1926–1999)
- Edward Calvin Kendall (1886–1972)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.