FEENEY
The surname Feeney is an Irish name of Gaelic origin, derived from the patronymic Ó Fiannaidh, meaning “descendant of Fiannaidh.” The element Fiannaidh is a cognate of the word fiann, which denotes a warrior or soldier. Consequently the name has historically signified a proud and ancient martial lineage.
In the 16th and 17th centuries the name was most prominently associated with the province of Connacht. A principal sept of the O Fiannaidh clan was centred in the parish of Easkey in County Sligo, while a smaller branch, sometimes recorded as O Fidhne, resided in County Galway. The surname was well established in the counties of Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Longford, and the place name Ballyfeeny in County Roscommon bears testament to the clan’s presence there; bally being the Gaelic baile, meaning a settlement.
The earliest documented spellings of the name appear in the Annals of Connacht and other contemporary records dating to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). The name entered England through the movements of Irish labourers seeking work in the cities. For instance, Mary, daughter of John Fenney, was christened on 9 April 1654 at Acton, Nantwich, Cheshire, and Thomas Phennah was recorded on 7 March 1742 at Churton Heath, Cheshire. The 1846 departure of Michael, John and Mary Fenney from Liverpool to New York on the vessel *Marmion* illustrates the broader diaspora wave that followed the Great Famine.
Throughout the centuries the surname has undergone a range of orthographic variations, many of which are evident in modern records. Legitimate variants include Feeny, Finney, Fenney, Finny, Feany, Feely, Fieney, as well as the patronymic forms McFeeney, McFinney, McFenny, McFeany and McFieney. These spellings generally indicate direct Irish heritage, though some, such as Finney and Fenney, have also become established surnames in England and the United States.
In contemporary times the surname remains most common in Ireland, particularly within the counties that historically harboured the clan. Outside the Emerald Isle, large concentrations of individuals bearing the name can be found in the United Kingdom, especially in Northern Ireland, the United States (notably the Philadelphia area and the mid‑Atlantic states, as well as California and New York), Canada, Australia (New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland) and New Zealand. The global distribution of the surname is a direct consequence of the Irish diaspora that began in the 18th century and expanded during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Thus, the surname Feeney illustrates a rich tapestry of linguistic heritage, geographic movement and cultural resilience that continues to be reflected in the communities of the modern world.
Typical given names associated with the Feeney surname
Male
- David
- James
- John
- Kevin
- Mark
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Peter
- Thomas
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Jacqueline
- Kathleen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Sharon
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Finney
- Fanney
- Fanny
- Feaney
- Faney
- Fainey
- Feanny
- Fagney
- Fany
- Feane
- Feenie
- Feenney
- Feeny
- Fehenie
- Feighney
- Feine
- Feney
- Feni
- Fenie
- Fenne
- Fenney
- Fennie
- Fenny
- Feny
- Fenyo
- Pheeney
- Pheeny
- Pheney
- Veaney
- Veiney
- Veney
- Venney
- Fannie
- Fanya
- Feannie
- Fenis
- Fenuyi
- Fenyes
- Fenyk
- Fenyn
- Fenyoe
- Phenny
- Vaney
- Vanney
- Venie
- Venny
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Feeney in...
Braille
⠋⠑⠑⠝⠑⠽
Morse
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Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Feeney are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Jammy Dodger.
There are approximately 4,593 people named Feeney in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,041st most common surname in Britain. Around 71 in a million people in Britain are named Feeney.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Feeney
- Liam Michael Feeney-Howard - Football player
- Lee Feeney - Northern Irish football player
- George Feeney - Boxer
- Angela Feeney - Singer
- Morgan Feeney - Football player
- Jim Feeney - Northern Irish football player (1921 to 1985)
- Tom Feeney - Football player (1910 to 1973)
- Joe Feeney - Football player (1926 to 1992)
- John Feeney - Boxer
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.