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ArchivesKennedy and Kenneth
Odd that the latter is said to mean "handsome" and the former "misshapen head"("ugly head" until this past week or so). I put that both names have the same origin, which is "Ashkenazi", the name of a descendant of Noah in the Bible and the Torah, a somewhat common Hebrew given name, and an identifier for German Jews as German Jews often refer to themselves as Ashkenazi Jews.
Since Hebrew has no true vowels, pronunciations and spellings vary. Ashkenazi in Switzerland is Edgenosse. Nevertheless, in Great Britain then to Ireland the first syllable was not emphasized, thus 'Shkenezi, to kenedzy. Remember, the letter "d" was formerly pronounced "dz", just as the German "z" is pronounced "ts"/"tz", like in "Mozart". Kenneδy in English would have been Kennedzy. And if dropping the "A", which is a consonant glottal stop in Hebrew, seems far fetched, keep in mind that the Hebrew letter "A" in written script looks just like the English/Latin letter "K".
The Ashkenazi were "High Germans", having bought and married their way into nobility, they were the ruling class. This was a proud name. In the 19th century and early 20th century as monarchies along with nobility of Europe fell like dominoes, many names were altered just enough to change their origin: for example, the Hohens of Heidelberg when a last name was required became Heideler or Heidler, just as the royals of GB are Windsors. However, upon moving into Lower Germany they changed their names again, just enough to hide their class from the lower classes but not so much that those of class wouldn't know them, to none other than Hitler. Then, of course, they all changed their names again after WWII. There were 63 Hitlers in the Berlin phone registry in 1945, not a single true Hitler bearing the name in Germany today.
But, I digress: Kennedy (and Keneth) is Kenazi, abbreviated from Ashkenazi.
Since Hebrew has no true vowels, pronunciations and spellings vary. Ashkenazi in Switzerland is Edgenosse. Nevertheless, in Great Britain then to Ireland the first syllable was not emphasized, thus 'Shkenezi, to kenedzy. Remember, the letter "d" was formerly pronounced "dz", just as the German "z" is pronounced "ts"/"tz", like in "Mozart". Kenneδy in English would have been Kennedzy. And if dropping the "A", which is a consonant glottal stop in Hebrew, seems far fetched, keep in mind that the Hebrew letter "A" in written script looks just like the English/Latin letter "K".
The Ashkenazi were "High Germans", having bought and married their way into nobility, they were the ruling class. This was a proud name. In the 19th century and early 20th century as monarchies along with nobility of Europe fell like dominoes, many names were altered just enough to change their origin: for example, the Hohens of Heidelberg when a last name was required became Heideler or Heidler, just as the royals of GB are Windsors. However, upon moving into Lower Germany they changed their names again, just enough to hide their class from the lower classes but not so much that those of class wouldn't know them, to none other than Hitler. Then, of course, they all changed their names again after WWII. There were 63 Hitlers in the Berlin phone registry in 1945, not a single true Hitler bearing the name in Germany today.
But, I digress: Kennedy (and Keneth) is Kenazi, abbreviated from Ashkenazi.
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Replies
Mori is an Italian surname and a Japanese surname. Are the two related? Of course not.
Gordon is a Scottish surname and an Eastern European Jewish surname. Are the names connected? No, pure coincidence.
You can find similar sounding names in different languages and ethnicities. So what?
My surname, Young, is not an alternative spelling of the Chinese Yung, it's from the English word 'young', no need to speculate any further.
Kenneth is an English version of the Gaelic Coinneach, which does mean 'fair'. The Irish surname Kennedy is in original form Ó Cinneide, denoting descent form a man named "ugly head". Kennedy in Scotland is a different name, from the Gaelic Cinnaedha, said to mean "sprung from fire". The same surname in Ireland became MacKenna (not related to the Scottish Kennedys).
There's also a Hungarian surname Kenedy, which may be locative in origin.
Gordon is a Scottish surname and an Eastern European Jewish surname. Are the names connected? No, pure coincidence.
You can find similar sounding names in different languages and ethnicities. So what?
My surname, Young, is not an alternative spelling of the Chinese Yung, it's from the English word 'young', no need to speculate any further.
Kenneth is an English version of the Gaelic Coinneach, which does mean 'fair'. The Irish surname Kennedy is in original form Ó Cinneide, denoting descent form a man named "ugly head". Kennedy in Scotland is a different name, from the Gaelic Cinnaedha, said to mean "sprung from fire". The same surname in Ireland became MacKenna (not related to the Scottish Kennedys).
There's also a Hungarian surname Kenedy, which may be locative in origin.
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