habitational name from any of various places so named Kenton, for example in Devon, Greater London (formerly Middlesex), Northumberland, and Suffolk. All have as the second element Old English tun "farmstead settlement". The first element of the place in Devon is a pre-English river name Kenn; the place in London is named with the Old English personal name Cena; the place in Northumberland derives from Old English cyne "kingly royal" or cyng "king" and tun; and the place in Suffolk is named either with Cena or more probably with Old English cyne "royal".