The Kennedy Family Coat of Arms traces its roots back to ancient times where it was carried onto the field of honor, with chivalry to defend family and allies, king and country.

The name Kennedy is the anglicized version of the Irish name Ceinneidi that goes back over a thousand years to the first Kennedy. He was an Irish chieftain or petty king who lived in present day, County Clare in the tenth century. The Irish Kennedys are descended from his grandson, also named Kennedy. The clan spread across the Shannon River into County Tipperary, probably in the eleventh century, where they rose to fame as the "Lords of Ormond".

The Kennedys have an ancient and illustrious lineage. Of Dalcassian ancestry, they stem from Cormac Cas, son of Oilioll Oleum, King of Munster in the 3rd century. From Cinneide or Kennedy, Nephew of Brian Boru, they derived their surname. Originally they were seated at Glemor, co-extensive with the parish of Killokennedy in the east of county Clare. Pressure from the powerful O'Brien and McNamara septs drove them across the Shannon into upper and Lower Ormond baronies, County Tipperary. In their new home they flourished becoming far more influential than in their ancient patrimony in Thomond. As early as 1159, the "Annals of the Four Masters" which contains numerous references to the family after 1300, described the Chief as Lord of Ormond, the title Kennedys retained down to the 17th century. The Sept divided into three branches, the Chiefs of which were distinguished by the epithets Don [brown], Rug [red] and fionn [fair]. St Ruadhan of Lorrha was the special protector of the Kennedys of Ormond. Around 1600, a Branch of this Sept migrated to Antrim, and the name is still found in that Country, though some of the Ulster Kennedys are of Scottish Origin. When the 1659 Census was compiled, Kennedys were recorded throughout Tipperary and as far east as the city of Waterford. There was also a small Sept in Galway, who were of Ui Maine origin and kinsman of the O'Loughnanes

The name “Kennedy” is derived from the Celtic Ceannaideach, or Ceanncinneal, or Cinneidigh (meaning head of tribe or clan) and has many spellings, including:

• Canaday
• Kennady
• Kenady
• Cannaday
• Kanaday

The variations apparently result from several causes: unfamiliar ears hearing the Scots brogue, emigration to foreign lands and conversion to other languages, and, sometimes, personal preference.

The Scottish Kennedy's

Kennedy also comes from the flattering Gaelic word cinneidigh, which in ancient Ireland meant “ugly headed”.   Crossing the Irish Sea to settle in an area of Dalriada now called Carrick in Ayrshire, they were probably led by Gilbert, whose son Duncan became the 1st Earl of Carrick in the 12th century. 

More about Scottish Kennedy's

  
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John Kennedy of Dunure acquired lands at Cassillis about 1360, and witnessed a charter by Robert II in 1384. His son, Sir Gilbert, was one of the hostages for the release of David II by the English in 1357. Gilbert's son, James, married Princess Mary, second daughter of Robert III. Their son, another Gilbert, was created Lord Kennedy in about 1457 and was one of the six regents during the minority of James III. A brother of the first Lord Kennedy, James Kennedy, was one of Scotland's best-loved bishops. He served briefly as High Chancellor of Scotland and was Bishop of Dunkeld, and later Archbishop of St. Andrews. At St. Andrews he founded St. Salvator's College in 1455.

Hugh Kennedy of Ardstinchar served as commander of the scots mercenary troops who fought for Joan of Arc at the siege of Orleans; hence Joan figures on the arms of Kennedy of Bargany. Sir David, third Lord Kennedy, was created Earl of Cassillis in 1509 and died at Flodden in 1513. The second Earl was murdered in 1527. Gilbert, third Earl, was one of four Scottish commissioners who were poisoned at Dieppe on their return from the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots to the Dauphin in 1558. He had inherited his title at the age of twelve when one of his first acts was to sign, under duress, the death warrant of Patrick Hamilton, the first Scottish Protestant martyr. The fourth Earl earned an infamous reputation by 'roasting' Alan Stewart, Abbot of Crossraguel, in the black vault of Dunmore in order to obtain tracts of abbey land.

The sixth Earl of Cassillis, John, was Lord Justice General of Scotland from 1649 to 1651. He was a zealous Protestant, as was his son, the seventh Earl, and both were firm supporters of Parliament during the civil war. The Justice General sat in Cromwell's House of Lords. They suffered for their beliefs, but their estates remained largely intact. When the eighth Earl died without heirs there was a three-year court dispute to determine the succession. The House of Lords finally found in favour of Sir Thomas Kennedy of Culzean in preference to William, Earl of March and London. Sir Thomas's brother, David, an advocate, succeeded him in 1775 as tenth Earl, and was an active improver. He commissioned the architect Robert Adam to build the castle at Culzean, considered to be Adam's masterpiece.

On the death of the tenth Earl the title passed to a kinsman who had settled in America. Captain Archibald Kennedy was an officer in the Royal Navy who held estates in Hoboken in New Jersey and became the greatest property owner in New York. He tried to be neutral during the American War of Independence, and was accordingly mistrusted by both sides. Half of his New York properties were confiscated, including number 1, Broadway, which was appropriated by George Washington. His son, the twelfth Earl, was a close friend of the Duke of Clarence, who, on his coronation as William IV, created him Marquess of Ailsa. The second Marquess, Archibald Kennedy, was killed in a hunting accident in 1870. His son succeeded to the title at the age of twenty-two, and after his death in 1938 the family title was borne by each of his three sons in turn.

Overlooking the sea from the coast of Ayrshire, Dunure Castle is the ancient seat of the Kennedys of Carrick, later the Earls of Cassilis. The original 13th century tower was later extended and altered. In the middle of the 17th century the castle appears to have been set on fire and blown up and by the end of the century it had been abandoned.

In 1570, Allan Stewart, Commendator of Crossraguel Abbey was roasted over a spit by the Earl of Cassilis to persuade him to sign over abbey lands. Kennedy of Bargany, no friend of Cassilis, stormed the castle and rescued the Commendator - who survived and lived to an old age. He was paid a pension by Cassilis - but the land was not returned. Ghostly cries have been reported in the chamber where the torture took place.