Show ContentsGlenney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Glenney was first used in the ancient Scottish kingdom of Dalriada. It indicates that the first bearer lived in Gleney, or Glennie, in Braemar, Aberdeenshire. Glennie is a surname from the region around Aberdeen, and it was originally born by generations of tenant farmers in the districts of both Dee and Don. The surname Glennie, which was originally derived from Gaelic "gleann" which means "valley", was also given to someone who resided near a valley.

Early Origins of the Glenney family

The surname Glenney was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Glenney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Glenney research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Glenney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Glenney Spelling Variations

Medieval spelling was at best an intuitive process, and translation between Gaelic and English was no more effective. These factors caused an enormous number of spelling variations in Dalriadan names. In fact, it was not uncommon to see a father and son who spelled their name differently. Over the years, Glenney has been spelled Glennie, Gleny, Glen, Glenney, Glenning, Glenny and many more.

Early Notables of the Glenney family

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

Ireland Migration of the Glenney family to Ireland

Some of the Glenney family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Glenney migration to the United States +

Many of the ancestors of Dalriadan families who arrived in North America still live in communities along the east coast of Canada and the United States. In the American War of Independence many of the original settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the ancestors of many Scots began recovering their collective national heritage through Clan societies, highland games, and other patriotic events. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Glenney or a variant listed above:

Glenney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Glenney who settled in Philadelphia in 1856
Glenney Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Edwin John Glenney, aged 58, originally from Toronto, Canada, who arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Santa Marta" from Kingston, Jamaica 1
  • William Edmondson Glenney, aged 9, originally from S. Manchester, Conn., who arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "Carmania" from Liverpool, England 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Glenney (post 1700) +

  • Judy Glenney (b. 1949), American National Weightlifting Champion


  1. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


Houseofnames.com on Facebook