Surname Feeny - Meaning and Origin

Feeny: What does the surname Feeny mean?

The last name Feeny is of Irish origin. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic surname ‘Ó Fiaich’, which translates to ‘descendant of Fiaich’. Fiaich likely denoted a hereditary harpist or bard, as the root word ‘fia’ appears in many old Irish surnames associated with music.

The Feeny family first surfaced in County Mayo, in Ireland’s north-west, but now the name is widely found throughout the country. Feenys were among the people who emigrated from Ireland to America in large numbers during the 19th Century, settling largely in major cities like New York, Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia.

The Feenys have since become prominent in American culture, with several prominent namesakes ranging from sports coaches to actors. Most notably, William Feeny was a World War II hero who earned four citations for bravery, and was later awarded the Medal of Honour by President Truman in 1945.

Today the Feeny name continues to be esteemed, with Feenys continuing to push the boundaries of accomplishment. The legacy of William Feeny can be found in continued studies of military history, and the Feeny name carries the spirit of all the hard-working people of Irish heritage who worked to build a better future.

Feeny: Where does the name Feeny come from?

The last name Feeny is most commonly found in Ireland today. Feeny is an ancient Irish surname and is derived from the Gaelic personal name Fionn meaning "fair". Historically, the Feeny name has been associated with County Louth and County Fermanagh in the north Midlands.

The census of Ireland conducted in 1901 and 1911 revealed that there were 333 people with the surname Feeny living in that country. The largest concentration of people with the name was in County Fermanagh, accounting for eighteen per cent of all Feenys in that census.

The spelling of the name has varied over time, from as Fieny, Fenney, Feny and Feeney to the current spelling of Feeny. It is also quite common to find the variants Fennesy and Feehney, as well as others.

In the United States, the 2000 census revealed that there were 283 people with the last name Feeny living in the country. The largest concentration of this name is found in Pennsylvania, with a significant number present in Ohio, California and New York.

While there are still Feenys living in Ireland and the United States, there are also people with this last name scattered throughout the world as the result of Irish emigration. People with the Feeny surname can be found living in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, South Africa, and New Zealand.

Variations of the surname Feeny

The surname Feeny is an anglicized form of the Gaelic surname "O'Fianna". It is pronounced "FEE-nee" and in Irish is spelled "Ó Fiannaidhe".

This surname is found predominantly in the counties of Leitrim, Mayo and Galway. It has a number of variants in spelling and pronunciation, as well as other surnames with the same origin. Some of these variants include Feanny, Finney, Finny, Feaney, Finleigh, Feeney, Feyney, Feayn, Fein, Finnegan and Fianna.

The Irish Gaelic prefix "O" denotes "descendant of," so most of the variants listed above indicate the same origin. In the county Mayo, both O’ Feena and O’ Feeny were used to signify the same surname, with county Galway using variants such as O’Feanaighe and O’Fiannaigh.

When moving abroad, the spellings may have changed slightly over the years; however, Feeny remains a popular surname in Ireland today. For instance, in the United States the spelling may have changed to Feenny or Feeney due to variation in colloquial pronunciation.

Forms of the surname in Ireland can be found as early as the 11th century. Feeny is a surname associated with the ancient kingdom of Breifne. It is believed to derive from the personal name Finn - a common male name during the early medieval period - and is an example of how feudal families in Gaelic Ireland adopted the names of their chiefs.

It is thought that the Gaelic chiefs of the time most likely praised and honored their lord and adopted this name into their own family, creating the Feeny surname. The Matthew Feeny, of Leitrim County, is the most likely original ancestor of the Feeny name.

Famous people with the name Feeny

• Stan Feeny: Stan Feeny is an American actor best known for his roles in the TV series Boy Meets World and Forgive Me.
• Anne Feeny: Anne Feeny is an American painter and mixed media artist based in New York.
• Pat Feeny: Pat Feeny is an American singer-songwriter best known for her work with the folk-pop duo dreamclub.
• Mike Feeny: Mike Feeny is an American political consultant who served as Chief of Staff to Senator Edward M. Kennedy from 1997 until 2007.
• Jack Feeny: Jack Feeny is an Irish-American artist and sculptor whose work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the US, Europe and the Middle East.
• Becky Feeny: Becky Feeny is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and comedy writer who has appeared on Last Call with Carson Daly, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Chelsea Lately.
• John Feeny: John Feeny is an American actor best known for his roles in the film Police Academy and television series Growing Pains.
• Don Feeny: Don Feeny is an American voice actor and singer who has provided voices for a number of cartoons and video games.
• Tad Feeny: Tad Feeny is an American rock and roll musician best known as the guitarist and vocalist of the band Before Braille.
• Alison Feeny: Alison Feeny is an American singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon.

Other surnames

FeenFeenanFeeneyFeenstra