Hennessey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Today's Irish surnames are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The name Hennessey originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó hAonghusa, which means "descendant of Angus." 1
Early Origins of the Hennessey family
The surname Hennessey 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 very ancient times.
Early History of the Hennessey family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hennessey research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hennessey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Hennessey Spelling Variations
Just like the English language, the Gaelic language of Ireland was not standardized in the Middle Ages. Therefore, one's name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origins of the Hennessey family name include Hennessey, Henasey, Henasay, Henchy, Henchey, Henchie, Hinchy, Hinchey, Hinchie, Henesey, Henessy, Henesy, Hennesey and many more.
Early Notables of the Hennessey family
Notable amongst the family name at this time was
- Sir John Pope Hennessey, Irish...
Hennessey Ranking
In the United States, the name Hennessey is the 4,497th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 2 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Hennessey is ranked the 476th most popular surname with an estimated 99 people with that name. 3
Hennessey migration to the United States +
Ireland became inhospitable for many native Irish families in the 19th centuries. Poverty, lack of opportunities, high rents, and discrimination forced thousands to leave the island for North America. The largest exodus of Irish settlers occurred with the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. For these immigrants the journey to British North America and the United States was long and dangerous and many did not live to see the shores of those new lands. Those who did make it were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest and most powerful nations of the world. These Irish immigrants were not only important for peopling the new settlements and cities, they also provided the manpower needed for the many industrial and agricultural projects so essential to these growing nations. Immigration and passenger lists have documented the arrival of various people bearing the name Hennessey to North America:
Hennessey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Thomas Hennessey, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1828 4
- Mary Hennessey, aged 21, who landed in New York in 1849 4
- William Hennessey, who arrived in Mississippi in 1856 4
- Edmund, Edward, James, Michael, Patrick and Robert Hennessey, who settled in Philadelphia between 1850 and 1870
- Patrick Hennessey, who arrived in Mississippi in 1876 4
Hennessey migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Hennessey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. John Hennessey, (Curtain), (b. 1811), aged 27, Irish labourer born in Cork, Ireland who was convicted in London, England for life for manslaughter, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 24th March 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
- Bridget Hennessey, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Europa" 6
- Mary Hennessey, aged 20, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Europa" 6
- Catherine Hennessey, aged 20, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Nashwauk" 7
- Mr. James Hennessey, British Convict who was convicted in Winchester, Hampshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Corona" on 13th October 1866, arriving in Western Australia, Australia 8
Hennessey 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:
Hennessey Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Miss Mary Hennessey, (b. 1858), aged 20, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Western Monarch" arriving in New Zealand in 1879 9
- James Hennessey, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Antares" in 1881
- Patrick Hennessey, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Antares" in 1881
- Martin Hennessey, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Antares" in 1881
- John Hennessey, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Antares" in 1881
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Hennessey (post 1700) +
- Sister Dorothy Marie Hennessey O.S.F. (1913-2008), American Roman Catholic Franciscan Sister and activist
- John Francis Hennessey (1900-1981), American tennis player who was ranked among the 10 best American players three times in the 1920s
- Mary L. Hennessey, American Democratic Party politician, Member of New York Democratic State Committee, 1942 10
- John R. Hennessey, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from New York County 14th District, 1870 10
- John J. Hennessey, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1940 10
- John A. Hennessey, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Kings County 8th District, 1893 10
- John Hennessey, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky, 1960 10
- Jean Hennessey, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Hampshire, 1972 10
- James Hennessey, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Rhode Island, 1912, 1916 10
- E. P. Hennessey, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Washington, 1940 10
- ... (Another 13 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Historic Events for the Hennessey family +
- Mr. Walter Hennessey (1892-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 11
Citations +
- O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
- 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 13th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
- South Australian Register Monday 14th May 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Europa 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/europa1855.shtml
- South Australian Register Monday 14th May 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Nashwauk 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/europa1855.shtml
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/corona
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance