Keenan is an

Irish surname A formal Irish name consists of a given name and a surname. In the Irish language, most surnames are patronymic surnames (distinct from patronymic, patronyms, which are seen in Icelandic names for example). The form of a surname varies according ...

meaning 'ancient, distant' in the Irish language. It is derived from ''Ó'' ''Cianáin'' 'descendant of Cianán' (a diminutive of

Cian In Irish mythology, Cian or Cían (), nicknamed Scal Balb, was the son of Dian Cecht, the physician of the Tuatha Dé Danann, and best known as the father of Lugh Lamhfada. Cían's brothers were Cu, Cethen, and Miach. Cían was slain by th ...

). The Ó Cianáin clan were hereditary historians to the Mac Uidhir.

Origins

Recorded as O'Keenan and more usually Keenan, this is an Irish surname. Found mainly in

Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...

counties

Fermanagh Historically, Fermanagh (), as opposed to the modern County Fermanagh, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Fermanagh. ''Fir Manach'' originally referred to a distinct kin group of alleged Laigin or ...

and

Monaghan Monaghan ( ; ) is the county town of County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It also provides the name of its Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish and Monaghan (barony), Monaghan barony. The population of the town as of the 2022 cen ...

, it originates from the ancient pre-10th-century

Gaelic Gaelic (pronounced for Irish Gaelic and for Scots Gaelic) is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". It may refer to: Languages * Gaelic languages or Goidelic languages, a linguistic group that is one of the two branches of the Insul ...

name ''Ó Cianáin'' meaning "The descendant of the faithful one" or similar. It may not have been entirely coincidence that the clan was famous throughout the Medieval Period for producing both high-ranking members of the church, and early historians, in several cases the same thing. The first recorded scribe was Adam O' Caianain, who was also the canon of Lisgool in Fermanagh. He is mentioned in the annals known as the "Four Masters" as being the historian to the famous Maguires of County Fermanagh. It is said that in 1659 in Petty's Census of Ireland that the spelling was found as MacKeenan, but if so this spelling is now completely extinct and research suggests that the original recording may have been a clerical mistake.

People named Keenan

First name

Keenan Allen Keenan Alexander Allen (born April 27, 1992) is an American professional football wide receiver. He played college football for the California Golden Bears before leaving after his junior year. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the th ...

, American football wide receiver *

Keenan Cornelius Keenan Kai-James Cornelius is an American martial artist. His competitive achievements include what is called the Double Grand Slam in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, having won double gold medals at four major tournaments: the World Jiu-Jitsu Champions ...

, American jiu-jitsu practitioner * Keenan Clayton, American football linebacker * Keenan Evans (born 1996), American basketball player * Keenan Hollahan, pseudonym for advice columnist * Keenan McCardell, former American football wide receiver * Keenan O'Mailia, American murder victim *

Keenan Robinson Keenan Robinson (born July 7, 1989) is an American former professional American football, football linebacker. He played college football for the University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas, and was selected by the Washington Redskins in ...

, American football linebacker *

Kenan Thompson Kenan Thompson (; born May 10, 1978) is an American actor and comedian. He has been a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' since Saturday Night Live season 29, 2003, making him the longest-tenured cast member in the ...

, American actor and comedian *

Keenen Ivory Wayans Keenen Ivory Desuma Wayans (born June 8, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, director and filmmaker. He is a member of the Wayans family of entertainers. Wayans first came to prominence as the host and creator of the 1990–1994 Fox sketch c ...

, American comedian, director and writer *

Keenan Wynn Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn (July 27, 1916 – October 14, 1986) was an American character actor. His expressive face was his wikt:stock-in-trade, stock-in-trade; though he rarely carried the leading actor, lead role, h ...

, American character actor

Last name

* Brian Keenan (Irish republican), Provisional IRA member * Brian Keenan (musician born 1943), American musician *

Brian Keenan (writer) Brian Keenan (born 28 September 1950) is an Irish writer whose work includes the book ''An Evil Cradling'', an account of the four and a half years he spent as a hostage in Beirut, Lebanon from 11 April 1986 to 24 August 1990. Life Keenan wa ...

, Irish journalist and hostage *

Brigid Keenan Brigid Ann Keenan (born 1939) is an author and journalist. She was born in Ambala, India, where her father was an officer in the British Indian Army during the British Raj, Raj. Her family repatriated to the United Kingdom after Indian Independe ...

, British/Irish writer of best-selling memoirs "Diplomatic Baggage" * Cathy Keenan, Canadian television actor * Celia Keenan-Bolger, American stage actor and singer * David Keenan, Scottish writer and musician * Deborah Keenan, American poet and educator * Don Keenan, Canadian ice hockey goaltender * Donal Keenan, Irish Gaelic games administrator *

Edward L. Keenan Edward Louis "Ned" Keenan Jr. (May 14, 1935 – March 9, 2015) was an American professor of history at Harvard University who specialized in medieval Russian history (especially the cultural and the political history of Muscovy). He became a ...

, American historian of medieval Russia * Emma Keenan, Canadian ice hockey player * Frank Keenan, American stage and screen actor and director * Frank Keenan (hurler) Irish hurling player * Harold Keenan, English footballer *

Harry Keenan Harry George Keenan (June 15, 1867, Richmond, Indiana – April 18, 1944, Santa Ana, California) was an early American silent film actor. He starred in about 45 silent films mostly shot between 1912 and 1916, including '' The Highest Bid'', ...

, American screen actor * Helen Grace Scott Keenan, American journalist, OSS employee and Soviet spy * Henry Francis Keenan, American journalist and author * Jack Keenan (boxer) (1929–2009), Canadian boxer * Joe Keenan (footballer), British footballer * Joe Keenan (writer), American writer and playwright * John Keenan (Medal of Honor), U.S. Army soldier * John F. Keenan, American attorney and federal judge * John R. Keennan (1940–2015), American baseball scout * Joseph B. Keenan, chief prosecutor in the International Military Tribunal for the Far East * Joseph Henry Keenan, American thermodynamicist * Lillie Keenan (born 1996), American show jumping rider * Luke A. Keenan (1872–1924), New York politician *

Maynard James Keenan Maynard James Keenan (born James Herbert Keenan; April 17, 1964) is an American singer, songwriter, philanthropist, record producer, and winemaker. He is best known as the singer and primary lyricist of the rock bands Tool (band), Tool, A Perfe ...

, American singer of bands Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer *

Mike Keenan Michael Edward Keenan (born October 21, 1949) is a Canadian-American former professional hockey coach. Previously, he served as head coach and/or general manager with several NHL teams between 1984 and 2009. He currently ranks fifth in playoff win ...

, Canadian ice hockey manager * Nancy Keenan, American politician and pro-choice campaigner * Norbert Keenan, Australian politician * Paddy Keenan, Irish uilleann piper *

Pepper Keenan Pepper J. Keenan (born May 8, 1967) is an American guitarist and vocalist, best known for his work with heavy metal bands Corrosion of Conformity and Down. He joined Corrosion of Conformity in 1989, but did not become the lead singer until th ...

, American musician with Corrosion of Conformity * Peter Keenan ("Crackers" Keenan), former Australian rules footballer * Peter Keenan (boxer), Scottish boxer of the 1940s, and 1950s * Philip Childs Keenan (1908–2000), American astronomer * Phuwaryne Keenan (born 1988), Thai singer * Roy Keenan (1930–2003), Canadian boxer * Sinead Keenan, Irish actress * Shy Keenan, British author, child sexual abuse survivor, and founder of Phoenix Survivors * Sterling James Keenan, American pro wrestler *

Tamra Keenan Tamra Keenan is an Irish singer/songwriter. She has collaborated with many of the world's leading electronic dance music producers. Keenan also writes music for television and film, and writes lyrics for and collaborates with many other recordin ...

, British singer * Terry Keenan, American broadcast television business correspondent * Tim Keenan III (born 2002), American football player * Trish Keenan, English singer and composer * Vernon Keenan, American law enforcement officer ;Fictional * Gareth Keenan, character from UK television series ''The Office''

References

{{given name, type=both English-language surnames Anglicised Irish-language surnames Surnames of Irish origin