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McSweeny History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

McSweeny History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

Irish names tend to vary widely in their spelling and overall form. The original Gaelic form of the name McSweeny is Mac Suibhne, which is derived from the word "suibhne," which means "pleasant."

Early Origins of the McSweeny family

The surname McSweeny was first found in County Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel. The name is derived from Suibhne O'Neill, who was a chieftain in Argyll, Scotland. His descendants migrated to Ireland as gallowglasses (mercenaries) prior to 1267. The three great septs of this name finally established themselves in Tirconnell in 14th century; they were known as MacSweeney Fanad, MacSweeney Banagh, and MacSweeney na dTuath, who were commonly referred to as 'MacSweeney of the Battleaxes.' They later became attached to the MacCarthys in the south and acquired their own territories and castles in Muskerry in County Cork.

Early History of the McSweeny family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McSweeny research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1299 and 1310 are included under the topic Early McSweeny History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McSweeny Spelling Variations

Those scribes in Ireland during the Middle Ages recorded names as they sounded. Consequently, in this era many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the McSweeny family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including MacSweeney, MacSweeny, MacSwine, MacSwiney, MacSwyne, MacSwyny, MacWhinney, MacWhinny, MacWhinnie, MacSwiny, McSweeney, Swiney, Swinney and many more.

Early Notables of the McSweeny family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was John MacSween, a 13th-14th century nobleman who lost his lands in Scotland after the defeat of the forces and death of Alexander Og MacDonald, Lord of Islay in 1299. In...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McSweeny Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McSweeny migration to the United States +

Thousands of Irish families left for North American shores in the 19th century. These people were searching for a life unencumbered with poverty, hunger, and racial discrimination. Many arrived to eventually find such conditions, but many others simply did not arrive: victims of the diseased, overcrowded ships in which they traveled to the New World. Those who lived to see North American shores were instrumental in the development of the growing nations of Canada and the United States. A thorough examination of passenger and immigration lists has disclosed evidence of many early immigrants of the name McSweeny:

McSweeny Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

C McSweeny, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1856 1
T McSweeny, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1856 1
Edward McSweeny, who landed in Pike County, Ind in 1880 1
John McSweeny, who arrived in Arkansas in 1896 1

McSweeny migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McSweeny Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mary McSweeny, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Salus" in 1833
Nancy McSweeny, aged 21, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Salus" in 1833

McSweeny migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

McSweeny Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John McSweeny, British Convict who was convicted in Malta for 10 years, transported aboard the "Clara" on 28th January 1864, arriving in Western Australia, Australia 2

McSweeny migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

McSweeny Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Samuel Mcsweeny, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Himalaya" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 10th February 1867 3
Mr. Robert Mcsweeny, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Himalaya" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 10th February 1867 3
Mr. John James Mcsweeny, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Himalaya" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 10th February 1867 3
Miss Sarah Mcsweeny, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Himalaya" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 10th February 1867 3
Miss Isiah Mcsweeny, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Himalaya" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 10th February 1867 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McSweeny (post 1700) +

Terrell McSweeny, American Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission

Citations +

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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clara
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html