Contents [hide]

Kearny History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Kearny History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

The surname derives from the Gaelic "O Catharnaigh," derived from the word "cearnach," meaning "warlike" or 'victorious'.

Early Origins of the Kearny family

The surname Kearny was first found in County Meath (Irish: An Mhí) anciently part of the kingdom of Brega, located in Eastern Ireland, in the province of Leinster and County Clare where O'Kearney, were chiefs of Avon-Ui-Cearney or O'Kearney's River, a district about Six-Mile-Bridge, in the baronies of Tulla and Bunratty.

Early History of the Kearny family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kearny research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1561, 1564, 1565, 1567, 1600, 1602, 1603, 1625, 1640 and 1650 are included under the topic Early Kearny History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kearny Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Carney, Kearney, O'Kearney, O'Carney and others.

Early Notables of the Kearny family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was Barnabas Kearney, in Irish Brian O Cearnaidh (1567-1640), Jesuit, born about 29 Sept. 1567, a native of Cashel, Ireland, the son of Patrick Kearney. His brother David was Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cashel from 1603 to 1625. 1John Carney or Kearney, in Irish Sean O Cearnaidh (d. 1600?), was an Irish divine, a native of Leyney in the province of Connaught, was matriculated as a sizar of Magdalene College, Cambridge, on 12 Nov. 1561, and proceeded...
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kearny Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kearny migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kearny Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Kearny, who arrived in Maryland in 1679 2

Kearny Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Larry Kearny, aged 34, who landed in New York, NY in 1806 2
Mary Kearny, aged 30, who arrived in New York, NY in 1806 2
Patrick Kearny, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 2
James Kearny, who landed in Maryland in 1815 2
John Kearny, who arrived in South Carolina in 1830 2

Kearny migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kearny Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Catherine Kearny, aged 26, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the barque "Pallas" from Cork, Ireland
Jane Kearny, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834
Mary Ann Kearny, aged 21, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834

Kearny 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:

Kearny Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

John Kearny, aged 29, a shoemaker, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874
Catherine Kearny, aged 26, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874
Mary Kearny, aged 3, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874
Ellen Kearny, aged 3 months, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Kearny (post 1700) +

Cresson Kearny (1914-2003), American author of Nuclear War Survival Skills
Stephen Watts Kearny (1794-1848), American General in the Mexican War, eponym of Fort Kearney, Nebraska; known for his Conquest of California and his Kearny Code which established the law and government in the newly acquired territory of New Mexico
Philip Kearny (1815-1862), U.S. Army officer, known for his leadership in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War; he was killed in action in the 1862 Battle of Chantilly
Lawrence Kearny (1789-1868), U.S. Navy officer and second cousin of Stephen W. Kearny
Warren Kearny, American Republican politician, U.S. Collector of Customs, 1932; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Louisiana, 1932 (alternate), 1936 (member, Committee to Notify Presidential Nominee), 1940, 1944 3
Lawrence Kearny, American politician, Mayor of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, 1848 3
Jo Ellen Kearny, American Democratic Party politician, Member, Credentials Committee, Democratic National Convention, 2008 3
J. Watts Kearny, American Republican politician, Postmaster at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1902-05 3
J. Kearny Rice, American politician, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, 1896-1900 4

The Kearny Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Sustine et abstine
Motto Translation: Sustain and abstain

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html