Surname Kessidy - Meaning and Origin

Kessidy: What does the surname Kessidy mean?

Kessidy is an English surname of Scottish origin. The oldest recorded spelling of the name is "Keside" and dates back to 1296 AD in Scotland. It is thought to have been derived from the old Gaelic word “caiside”, meaning a marsh or a boggy spot.

The Scottish surname Kessidy originally began as a descriptor of a person's geographical origin, with those who shared this surname living in or near the marshy areas. An alternate origin of the name is from the Old English personal names beginning with "cese", like "Cesedune” which mean a meadow or flat place.

Today, Kessidy is found in varying spellings throughout England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The name is quite uncommon, but is believed to still represent a marshy origin for its bearers, often given to those living near a bog, marsh, or low-lying meadow.

The Kessidy surname can also be linked to certain clans. The Clan Keside is a branch of the Clan Gunn who is a Norse-Gaelic clan that originated in the north of Scotland. It remains an iconic Scottish surname tho many spellings of the name have evolved over time.

Kessidy: Where does the name Kessidy come from?

The surname Kessidy is not especially common, although there are some pockets of populations that have a higher prevalence of the name. For instance, in the United States, there are a higher proportion of individuals with the name in states like Missouri, Virginia, and Georgia. Additionally, the surname is most frequent in the states that border the Mississippi River.

Outside of the United States, the surname can be found among English-speaking populations in countries such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In Canada, the surname is most common in provinces like Nova Scotia, Ontario, and British Columbia. Australia and New Zealand also have notable concentrations of the Kessidy surname.

DNA research (such as Y-DNA research) reveals that the surname is most commonly found among the Scottish and Irish descendants. The surname has been present in Scotland since early medieval times and is most likely of Scottish or Irish origin.

Despite these areas of high prevalence, the last name Kessidy is generally considered uncommon, and this is reflected in current census data, which shows the name to be a rarity among both European and non-European population groups.

Variations of the surname Kessidy

The surname Kessidy is a variant spelling of the more common surname Cassidy. It is usually the version that is used in Ireland, while Cassidy is more commonly seen in other anglophone countries such as the United States and Canada. The name is derived from the Irish Gaelic patronymic O'Caiside, which was derived from a name that described the location of the family. In Irish, this would be caisde, meaning "curved".

Variants of the surname Kessidy include, but are not limited to, Caiside, Kesside, Kisty and Keyside. Variations of Cassidy, which are related to Kessidy, include Cassity, Casteen, Casteel and Casteele.

Since the name is Irish in origin, there are many Irish spellings that are related to Kessidy. These spellings include MacAiside, MacCesseide, MacKeyside and MacKesiside. There are also numerous other Irish variant spellings, including Ó Casaide, Ó Caiside, MacCassidy, MacCassie, and MacCaiside.

In the case of Cassidy, variants include Casady, Casad, Casida and Cazide. All of these variants have their root in the same Irish surname and many of them appear in multiple countries now due to the spread of Irish people across the world.

The name Cassidy can also be seen in its French form, Casside. However, this form of the name is much rarer than its Irish variant.

Overall, Kessidy and its variants have evolved substantially since its beginnings in Ireland. There are a wide range of spellings and surnames derived from the same Irish patronymic and this has allowed the name to be used in multiple countries around the world.

Famous people with the name Kessidy

• Katee Sackhoff: American actress best known for her roles as Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica and Victoria/Blackstar in The Flash.
• Emily Kinney: American actress, singer-songwriter, and author best known for her role as Beth Greene in The Walking Dead.
• Ryan Kessidy: American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer best known for his leading roles in the films Sugar and Boiler Room.
• Cory Kessidy: American professional basketball player who played with the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, and Milwaukee Bucks.
• Alan Kessidy: Actor known for his roles in the television series Malcolm in the Middle and Scrubs.
• Shelby Kessidy: Professional stuntwoman and actress known for her work in films such as Birdman and The Avengers.
• Joe Kessidy: American stand-up comedian who has appeared on Comedy Central and Showtime.
• Mark Kessidy: Voice actor known for his work on the animated series South Park and Futurama.
• Daisy Kessidy: British fashion designer and former model who was a contestant on the UK reality show The Island.
• William Kessidy: American singer-songwriter and record producer known as the lead vocalist of the band The Howland Sparks.

Other surnames

KessigKessinger