Contents [hide]

Devaney History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Devaney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Devaney was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. The ancestors of the Devaney family lived in Leicestershire. The family was originally from Abene, where they held a castle, near Louvaine, Normandy, and it is from the local form of that name, D'Abene which means from Abene, that their name derives. Another important English house of the same name comes from Aubigny, Brittany. Their name is of identical local derivation. 1

Early Origins of the Devaney family

The surname Devaney was first found in Leicestershire at Belvoir, a village and civil parish in the Melton district. Belvoir literally means "beautiful view" derived from the Old French words bel + vedeir. 2

Another source is more specific: "Amongst the most distinguished companions in arms of the Conqueror was Robert de Todeni, a nobleman of Normandy, upon whom the victorious monarch conferred, with numerous other grants, an estate in the county of Lincoln upon the borders of Leicestershire. Here De Todeni erected a stately castle, and from the fair view it commanded, gave it the designation of Belvoir Castle, and here he established his chief abode. He died in 1088, and was succeeded by his eldest son William, who assumed the surname of Albini or Aubeney, and acquired great renown at the celebrated Battle of Tenercheby, in Normandy, where, commanding the horse, he charged the enemy with so much spirit that he determined at once the fate of the day. " 3

It was here that William d'Aubigny (Brito) (d. after 1148), was an itinerant justice under King Henry I of England and was granted the lands where he built Belvoir Castle, which is now a restored stately home. He fought at the Battle of Tinchebray (1106) and was in favor of King Henry I. His grandson, William d'Aubigny or D'Aubeney or d'Albini, Lord of Belvoir (died 1236) was High Sheriff of Warwickshire and Leicester and High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire in 1199. 1

Wymondham or Windham in Norfolk was an early family seat. "This town derives its name from the Saxon Win Munde Ham, signifying 'a pleasant village on a mount;' and is indebted for its importance to the foundation of a priory of Black monks, at first a cell to the abbey of St. Alban's, by William d'Albini or Daubeny, in 1130." 4

To the south in the parish of Lanteglos, Cornwall, "the manor of Polruan belonged to the Daubeny family, to whose interest it was indebted for its market, from the year 1291 to 1420; after which it passed to the Molins, and was then inherited by Lord Hungerford." 5

Early History of the Devaney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Devaney research. Another 156 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1109, 1150, 1167, 1176, 1193, 1203, 1221, 1224, 1264, 1305, 1342, 1371, 1386, 1403, 1451, 1494, 1507, 1548, 1670 and 1707 are included under the topic Early Devaney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Devaney Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Devaney has been recorded under many different variations, including Daubeney, Daveney, Dabney, Daubeny, Debney, Dalbini, Dibney, Dybney, Dobney, Daughby, Dawbeney, Dawby and many more.

Early Notables of the Devaney family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Giles Daubeny or Daubeney, 1st Baron Daubeney KG (1451-1507), an English soldier, diplomat, courtier and politician. He was "descended from the ancient Norman family of de Albini, whose ancestor Robert de Todeni came to England with the Conqueror and built Belvoir Castle...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Devaney Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Devaney Ranking

In the United States, the name Devaney is the 8,580^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Devaney migration to the United States +

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Devaneys were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:

Devaney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Owin Devaney, who was naturalized in Ogle county, Illinois in 1852
John Devaney, who arrived at the port of New York in 1854
John Devaney, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1856 7
Thomas Devaney, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1879 7

Devaney migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Devaney Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mrs. Ann Devaney, aged 33 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Columbia" departing from the port of Sligo, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 8
Miss. Bridget Devaney, aged 8 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lotus" departing 15th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 24th June 1847 but she died on board 9
Mr. John Devaney, aged 12 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lotus" departing 15th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 24th June 1847 but he died on board 9
Miss. Mary Devaney, aged 4 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lotus" departing 15th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 24th June 1847 but she died on board 9
Mr. Michael Devaney, aged 35 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lotus" departing 15th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 24th June 1847 but he died on board 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Devaney migration to Australia +

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

Devaney Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mrs. Anne Devaney, (Devany), (b. 1779), aged 47, Irish house servant who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Brothers" on 3rd October 1826, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, listed as having 3 children 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Devaney (post 1700) +

Earl E. Devaney (1948-2022), Inspector General for the United States Department of the Interior and Chairman of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board
Tom Devaney (b. 1976), infamous New York mobster and an enforcer for Mickey Spillane during the 1960s and 1970s
Michael "Mike" Aloysius Devaney (1891-1967), American track and field athlete who competed at the 1920 and 1924 Summer Olympics
John P. Devaney (1883-1941), American Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court (1933-1937)
Robert S. "Bob" Devaney (1915-1997), American college football coach, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (1981)
Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney, American Democratic Party politician, Elected Massachusetts Governor's Council 3rd District 2002 11
Joe Devaney, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Texas 5th District, 1982 11
Dennis M. Devaney, American Democratic Party politician, Member, National Labor Relations Board, 1988-94 11
Martin Thomas Devaney (b. 1980), English football midfielder from Cheltenham
Liam Devaney (1935-2017), Irish hurler for Borrisoleigh (1952-1974)
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Devaney family +

RMS Titanic

Miss Margaret Delia Devaney, aged 19, Irish Third Class passenger from Kilmacowen, Sligo who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking in collapsible C 12

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 24)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 72)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/brothers
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html