Kennedy Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Kennedy Family History

Kennedy Family History

The family history of the ancient name Kennedy was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Variations of the name Kennedy include O'Kennedy and Minnagh. Meaning 'helmeted chief', they were a famous Irish Dalcassian sept whose illustrious ancestor was Brian Boru, their territory at first being Glenomra, near Killaloe. Pressure from the O'Briens and McNamaras caused them to move to Upper and Lower Ormond, where they became very powerful. The sept then split into three and their Chiefs were known as Don, Fionn and Rue, of whose martial exploits were recorded in the ancient manuscript 'The Four Masters'. Several Kennedys were officers in James II army and fought at the Battle of the Bon in 1690. The family of President John F. Kennedy hailed from County Wexford.The Kennedy family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Kennedy descendants.