O'Meany History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Etymology of O'Meany

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 O'Meany as Ó Maonaigh. This is derived from the word maonach, meaning wealthy. 1

Early Origins of the O'Meany family

Early History of the O'Meany family

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

O'Meany Spelling Variations

Those scribes in Ireland during the Middle Ages recorded names as they sounded. Consequently, in this era many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the O'Meany family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including Mooney, Moony, O'Mooney, Meeny, O'Meany, Meany, O'Meeny, O'Mainy, Meaney and many more.

Early Notables of the O'Meany family

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

Migration of the O'Meany family

During the 19th century thousands of impoverished Irish families made the long journey to British North America and the United States. These people were leaving a land that had become beset with poverty, lack of opportunity, and hunger. In North America, they hoped to find land, work, and political and religious freedoms. Although the majority of the immigrants that survived the long sea passage did make these discoveries, it was not without much perseverance and hard work: by the mid-19th century land suitable for agriculture was short supply, especially in British North America, in the east; the work available was generally low paying and physically taxing construction or factory work; and the English stereotypes concerning the Irish, although less frequent and vehement, were, nevertheless, present in the land of freedom, liberty, and equality for all men. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the O'Meany family in North America: Andrew, Arthur, Catherine, Daniel, Hugh, James, John, Mary, Michael, Patrick, Richard, Thomas and William Mooney all arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1860.