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Irish surname

Feeney: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Fiannaidhe (Ó Fianna); Ó Fídhne · Two Irish names: Ó Fiannaidhe, 'descendant of Fiannaidhe' (soldier); Ó Fídhne, 'descendant of *Fídhne'

Woulfe (1923) gives Feeney as an anglicised form of two separate Irish names. Ó Fiannaidhe was a family of the Ui Fiachrach seated at Finned, in the parish of Easkey, Co. Sligo, and 'still numerous in Connacht'; Ó Fídhne was a Galway family. In 1890 Feeney births were found chiefly in Sligo, Mayo and Galway.

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Coat of arms associated with the Feeney surname
Irish formÓ Fiannaidhe (Ó Fianna); Ó Fídhne
MeaningTwo Irish names: Ó Fiannaidhe, 'descendant of Fiannaidhe' (soldier); Ó Fídhne, 'descendant of *Fídhne'
CountiesSligo, Mayo, Galway, Roscommon
Other spellings5
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Origin of the Feeney name

Two separate families, per Woulfe. Ó Fiannaidhe (a substitution for older Ó Féinneadha) was 'a family of the Ui Fiachrach who were formerly seated at Finghid, now anglicised Finned, in the parish of Easkey, Co. Sligo'. Ó Fídhne was 'the name of a Galway family, still in use in that county', mentioned by MacFirbis.[1][2]

  1. 189073 births registered for Feeney and Feeny, chiefly in Connaught.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. SligoÓ Fiannaidhe seated at Finned, parish of Easkey; first county named for 1890 'Feeney' births.[1][3]
Co. MayoNamed by Matheson for 1890 births spelt 'Feeney'.[3]
Co. GalwayHome of the Ó Fídhne family; named for 1890 births of both 'Feeney' and 'Feeny'.[2][3]
Co. RoscommonNamed by Matheson, with Galway, for 1890 births spelt 'Feeny'.[3]

Other spellings

Feeny · Finney · Finny · O Finny · O Finnee[1][2][3]

The Feeney coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Feeney surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Feeney surname: questions

What does the surname Feeney mean?

Woulfe gives Ó Fiannaidhe as 'descendant of Fiannaidhe' (soldier). A second Irish name, Ó Fídhne, 'descendant of *Fídhne', is also anglicised Feeney.[1][2]

Where in Ireland is Feeney from?

Woulfe places the Ó Fiannaidhe family at Finned, in the parish of Easkey, Co. Sligo, and the Ó Fídhne family in Galway. In 1890 Feeney births were chiefly in Sligo, Mayo and Galway, and Feeny in Galway and Roscommon.[1][2][3]

Is Feeney the same name as Finney?

Woulfe lists Finney among the anglicised forms of both Ó Fiannaidhe and Ó Fídhne, and tells readers to distinguish the two Irish names from each other.[1][2]

Sources

  1. Ó Fianna, Ó Fiannaidhe — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/of/o-fianna.php
  2. Ó Fídhne — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/of/o-fidhne.php
  3. Feeney — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/feeney.php

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).