Okeny History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Etymology of Okeny

The Okeny surname in Ireland comes from the Gaelic Ó Coinnigh, which was an old Irish first name, made popular by a 6th century monk of the name, whose "church of Coinneach" became the name of the town Kilkenny.

Early Origins of the Okeny family

Early History of the Okeny family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Okeny research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Okeny History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Okeny Spelling Variations

Within the archives researched, many different spelling variations of the surname Okeny were found. These included One reason for the many variations is that scribes and church officials often spelled an individual's name as it sounded. This imprecise method often led to many versions. Kenny, O'Kenny, Kenney, Kennie and others.

Early Notables of the Okeny family

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

Migration of the Okeny family

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 Okeny family relocated to North American shores quite early: Edmund Kenny, who settled in Virginia in 1635; John Kenny, who settled in Virginia in 1771; Richard Kenny, who settled in Virginia in 1637; as well as Daniel, Francis, James, John, Michael, Patrick, Richard, Thomas, and William Kenny, who all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..