McKenna ~ Mac Cionaoith

The Story of the McKenna Name

McKenna is the anglicized form of the Irish Mac Cionaoith, meaning “son of Cionaodh.” The personal name Cionaodh is traditionally associated with cion, meaning affection or esteem, and Aodh, an ancient Gaelic name connected with fire. It is therefore often interpreted as “born of fire,” although the precise meaning of the ancient name is uncertain.

The McKennas became particularly associated with County Monaghan, where they were the lords of Truagh, in the northern part of the county. They were an important Gaelic family within the ancient kingdom of Oriel and maintained their position in the region for centuries.

The family had a long connection with the political and religious life of Ulster. The McKennas of Truagh operated within the wider Gaelic world of the MacMahons and other ruling families of the region, maintaining their own territory even as English influence increasingly spread across Ireland.

Over time, Mac Cionaoith became McKenna and MacKenna in English, with related forms such as McKenny also appearing. Behind the familiar name lies the story of an old Gaelic family whose ancestral home was the hills and valleys of northern Monaghan, where the McKennas were lords of Truagh for generations.