Show ContentsManney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Gaelic, otherwise known as Early Modern Irish, was used in Ireland from around the year 1200 until the 18th century. It is from this language that we found the first references to the name Manney as Ó Maonaigh. This is derived from the word maonach, meaning wealthy. 1

Early Origins of the Manney family

The surname Manney was first found in County Offaly (Irish: Uíbh Fháilí) originally the Kingdom of Uí Failghe, located in central Ireland in the Province of Leinster, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Manney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Manney research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Manney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Manney Spelling Variations

Names from the Middle Ages demonstrate many spelling variations. This is because the recording scribe or church official often decided as to how a person's name was spelt and in what language. Research into the name Manney revealed many variations, including Mooney, Moony, O'Mooney, Meeny, O'Meany, Meany, O'Meeny, O'Mainy, Meaney and many more.

Early Notables of the Manney family

More information is included under the topic Early Manney Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Manney migration to the United States +

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the Manney family relocated to North American shores quite early:

Manney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Patrick Manney, who landed in Arkansas in 1856 2

Australia Manney migration to Australia +

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

Manney Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Alice Manney, aged 20, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Utopia"
  • Mary Manney, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Utopia"

Contemporary Notables of the name Manney (post 1700) +

  • W. F. Manney, American politician, Member of North Carolina State House of Representatives from Graham County, 1901-02


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
  2. 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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook