Clowney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Today's generation of the Clowney family inherits a name that was first used by the Scottish tribe known as the Picts. The first family to use the name Clowney lived in the lands of Clunie in Stormont, Perthshire. "This place, which is of remote antiquity, is distinguished as the scene of a battle between the Caledonians and the Romans under Agricola. In a field near the Hill of Gourdie, are still remaining several mounds, in a parallel direction, separated by trenches of equal length, called the "Steeds Stalls;" and here the advanced guard of the Caledonian army was posted to watch the movements of the Roman army, which was encamped on the plains of Inchtuthill, about two miles to the south." 1

Early Origins of the Clowney family

The surname Clowney was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) where "William de Clonin witnessed a confirmation charter by Alexander II to the Abbey of Arbroath c. 1214-1218. The ward of Eugene de Cluny is referred to in 1263. William de Cluny of Perthshire rendered homage in 1296, and appears again on an inquest at Perth in 1304. Another William de Cluny, chaunteur of Breghyn in the county of Strivelyn, also rendered homage in that year and is mentioned again in 1305 as Sir William de Clony, chaplain to the bishop of Brechin. Adam Cluny of Fifeshire also rendered homage in 1296, and John de Cloni or de Cloney of Fife was one of the Scots prisoners taken at Dunbar Castle in the same year." 2

The mentions of "rendered homage" in the preceding paragraph refers to King Edward I of England's intrusion into Scotland.

Cluny is a parish in the district of Kincardine O'Neil, county of Aberdeen "The name of this place, signifying, in Gaelic, meadows interspersed with rising grounds, is descriptive of the appearance of the locality." 1

Early History of the Clowney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clowney research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1214, 1296, 1616, 1686, 1757, 1784, 1787, 1790, 1791 and 1819 are included under the topic Early Clowney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clowney Spelling Variations

Repeated and inaccurate translation of Scottish names from Gaelic to English and back resulted in a wide variety of spelling variations with single names. Clowney has appeared Clunie, Clooney, Cloon, Cloone, Clowney, Clune, Cluney, Clunis and many more.

Early Notables of the Clowney family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was John Clunie (1757?-1819), "the supposed author of the beautiful Scotch [(Scottish)] song 'I lo'e na a laddie but ane,' born about 1757. He was educated for the church of Scotland, and licensed by the presbytery of Edinburgh on 29 Dec. 1784. He then became schoolmaster at Narkinch, Fifeshire, and possessing a fine voice and some musical skill acted as precentor in the parish church. In 1790 he was presented by the Duke of Buccleuch to the parish of Ewes, Dumfriesshire, and...
Another 88 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Clowney Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clowney migration to the United States +

Many Scottish families suffered enormous hardships and were compelled to leave their country of birth. They traveled to Ireland and Australia, but mostly to the colonies of North America, where many found the freedom and opportunity they sought. It was not without a fight, though, as many were forced to stand up and defend their freedom in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of these Scots abroad have rediscovered their heritage in the last century through the Clan societies and other organizations that have sprung up across North America. Immigration and passenger ship lists show some important early immigrants bearing the name Clowney:

Clowney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Robert Clowney, aged 46, who arrived in New York in 1812 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Clowney (post 1700) +

William Kennedy Clowney (1797-1851), American politician, U.S. Representative from South Carolina, 1833-35, 1837-39; Member of South Carolina State Senate, 1840; Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina 4

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html