About us
The Kenyon DNA Surname Project
The KENYON DNA surname project is global in scope. It is focused on helping everyone with known or suspected Kenyon paternal lineage throughout the world through the use of Y-DNA testing. The Kenyon Surname Project was initiated in late September 2005, by founding project administrator, Dr. Richard Reid Kenyon.
If you have questions, you can contact Richard, Marilyn, or Bob Kenyon whose emails are listed below.
Administrator Bios:
Richard Reid Kenyon, PhD is the founding administrator of the Kenyon Project. He is a member of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) and a well-known researcher of Kenyons in America and more recently England. His accomplishments include the compilation and transcribing of early Kenyon individuals listed in the United States Federal Census Records throughout the United States, the compilation of descendant lists for numerous Kenyon lines, and the compilation of The Author’s Supplement, a copy of the rough draft left by General Howard N. Kenyon at the time of his death.
His email is richardrkenyon@msn.com.
Marilyn A. Kenyon, Psy.D. is an administrator of the Kenyon Project. She has been actively involved in genetic genealogical research since 2007. She self-published, My Search for Lyman Kenyon's Ancestors: Early New York Kenyon Males, 2014, a compilation of Kenyon males living in New York State between 1790 and 1850 and detailing her process to break down a brick wall. Her Kenyon lineage descends from Barnabas Kenyon, a patriot of the American Revolution, part of the Rhode Island branch.
Her email is: marilyn500@gmail.com
Robert Kenyon is a co-administrator of the Kenyon Project. He's been actively involved in researching Kenyon males living in England for decades. He's also interested in early English history and archeology, with an archeology site near where he lives in Dorset. He has done local presentations and is a named contributor to published scientific articles.
His email is: bobkenyon@btinternet.com
American Kenyon lines:
The major ones are listed below, starting with an ID, then name, birth date and place, and number of known descendants.1 _John Kenyon_ b. circa 1647_prob. RI_17,478
2 _James Kenyon_ b. circa 1657_ prob. RI_ 955
A _John Kenyon_ b. circa 1782_ Holmfirth, Eng_ 148
B _Paul Kenyon_ b. circa1776_ MA/RI_143
C _Jonathan Kenyon_b. circa 1779_VT_141
D _David Kenyon_ b. circa 1730_Liverpool, Eng_61
E _Thomas Kenyon_ b. 1800_ Schoharie, NY_ 435_ f/a Rev. Henry B. Kenyon
F _ Roger Kenyon_ b. 1659/60_ Peel Hall, Lancs, Eng_ 27
G _John Kinion_ bef. 1794_NC_ 66
H _Lawrence Kinion_ b. circa 1765_ Orange Co., NC_ 182
J _Joseph Kenyon _b. circa 1794_ NY_15_ m2. Mary S. Hibbard
K _ Benjamin Kinion_ b. circa 1780_NC?_ 2,506
M _Madison S. Kenyon_ b. 1815_ Providence, RI_ 267
N _Nelson S. Kenyon_ b. circa 1829_ NY_ 15
P _Perry G. Kenyon_ b. circa 1792_ Charlestown, RI_ 79_ he d. 1861, Malloryville, Ont. Canada
Q _James Kinyon _b. 1789_ RI_ m1 Fannie Bell)
T _Joseph Kinion_ b. circa 1775_ NC?_207 _In Wash. Co., IL by 1820
X _Daniel Kenyon _b. circa 1744_ poss. Benson, VT_ 56_m. Mary Tanner
* These lines were compiled by Richard Reid Kenyon, PhD, on 21 Jul 2003
English Lines:
The identification of English lines, as well as other Kenyon lineages throughout the world (Canada, Scotland, Isle of Man, Wales, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Jamaica, and South Africa), is a work in progress. Two English lines have been established through Big Y testing. This was a surprising discovery, as it was assumed that all Kenyon males descended from one Kenyon line in England going back to when surnames were first adopted. It turns out two early lines were dating back to about 1200 CE. We've identified a Liverpool branch as well as Rhode Island and North Carolina branches, which are all branches of English lineage II.
Last updated: 4 Dec 2023