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Irish surname

Rooney: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Ruanadha, Ó Ruanaidh · 'descendant of Ruanaidh' (hero)

Woulfe (1923) gives Rooney as an anglicised form of Ó Ruanadha, 'descendant of Ruanaidh' (hero), a common surname in Ulster, Leinster and Connacht at the end of the 16th century. The two early bearers Woulfe names were both chief poets. In the 1890 birth indexes there were 119 Rooney entries in Ireland, found principally in Dublin, Leitrim, Down, Antrim and Mayo.

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Coat of arms associated with the Rooney surname
Irish formÓ Ruanadha, Ó Ruanaidh
Meaning'descendant of Ruanaidh' (hero)
CountiesDublin, Leitrim, Down, Antrim
Other spellings3
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Origin of the Rooney name

Woulfe: Ó Ruanadha was common at the end of the 16th century in Ulster, Leinster and Connacht, though 'the annalists, however, have but comparatively few notices of the family'. He names Ceallach Ó Ruanadha, chief poet of Ireland (d. 1079), and Eóin Ó Ruanadha, chief poet to Magennis (d. 1376). Its variant Ó Ruanaidhín was common in Sligo and Connacht.[1][2]

  1. 1079Death of Ceallach Ó Ruanadha, chief poet of Ireland.[1]
  2. 1376Death of Eóin Ó Ruanadha, chief poet to Magennis.[1]
  3. End of the 16th centuryÓ Ruanadha a common surname in Ulster, Leinster and Connacht.[1]
  4. 1873William Rooney born in Mabbot Street, Dublin, 20 October.[3]
  5. 1890119 Rooney entries in Irish birth indexes; chiefly Dublin, Leitrim, Down, Antrim, Mayo.[4]
  6. 1901William Rooney dies of tuberculosis in May.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. DublinFirst of the counties where Rooney was principally found in the 1890 birth indexes.[4]
Co. LeitrimAmong the counties where Rooney was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. DownAmong the counties where Rooney was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. AntrimAmong the counties where Rooney was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. MayoAmong the counties where Rooney was principally found in 1890.[4]

Notable people named Rooney

Ceallach Ó Ruanadhad. 1079Chief poet of Ireland.[1]
Eóin Ó Ruanadhad. 1376Chief poet to Magennis.[1]
William Rooney1873–1901Prominent in Dublin's Celtic Literary Society; his lectures appeared in early issues of Griffith's United Irishman.[3]

Other spellings

Roney · Rowney · Rooneen[1]

The Rooney coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Rooney 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.

Rooney surname: questions

What does the surname Rooney mean?

Woulfe gives Rooney as a form of Ó Ruanadha, 'descendant of Ruanaidh', a personal name meaning 'hero'.[1]

Is Rooney an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe lists Rooney as an anglicised form of the Irish surname Ó Ruanadha (Ó Ruanaidh).[1]

Where in Ireland is Rooney from?

Woulfe says Ó Ruanadha was common at the end of the 16th century in Ulster, Leinster and Connacht. In the 1890 birth indexes Rooney was found principally in Dublin, Leitrim, Down, Antrim and Mayo.[1][4]

Were the Rooneys a family of poets?

Woulfe names two: Ceallach Ó Ruanadha, chief poet of Ireland, who died in 1079, and Eóin Ó Ruanadha, chief poet to Magennis, who died in 1376.[1]

Sources

  1. Ó Ruanadha, Ó Ruanaidh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/or/o-ruanadha.php
  2. Ó Ruanaidhín — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/or/o-ruanaidhin.php
  3. '. . . and William Rooney spoke in Irish', by Matthew Kelly, History Ireland, Vol. 15, Issue 1 (Jan/Feb 2007), History Ireland. historyireland.com/and-william-rooney-spoke-in-irish/
  4. Rooney — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/rooney.php

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