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Swiney History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Swiney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

Irish names tend to vary widely in their spelling and overall form. The original Gaelic form of the name Swiney is Mac Suibhne, which is derived from the word "suibhne," which means "pleasant."

Early Origins of the Swiney family

The surname Swiney was first found in County Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel. The name is derived from Suibhne O'Neill, who was a chieftain in Argyll, Scotland. His descendants migrated to Ireland as gallowglasses (mercenaries) prior to 1267. The three great septs of this name finally established themselves in Tirconnell in 14th century; they were known as MacSweeney Fanad, MacSweeney Banagh, and MacSweeney na dTuath, who were commonly referred to as 'MacSweeney of the Battleaxes.' They later became attached to the MacCarthys in the south and acquired their own territories and castles in Muskerry in County Cork.

Early History of the Swiney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Swiney research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1299 and 1310 are included under the topic Early Swiney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swiney Spelling Variations

The Middle Ages saw a great number of spelling variations for surnames common to the Irish landscape. One reason for these variations is the fact that surnames were not rigidly fixed by this period. The following variations for the name Swiney were encountered in the archives: MacSweeney, MacSweeny, MacSwine, MacSwiney, MacSwyne, MacSwyny, MacWhinney, MacWhinny, MacWhinnie, MacSwiny, McSweeney, Swiney, Swinney and many more.

Early Notables of the Swiney family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was John MacSween, a 13th-14th century nobleman who lost his lands in Scotland after the defeat of the forces and death of Alexander Og MacDonald, Lord of Islay in 1299. In...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Swiney Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Swiney Ranking

In the United States, the name Swiney is the 11,143^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Swiney migration to the United States +

A great mass of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century, seeking relief from various forms of social, religious, and economic discrimination. This Irish exodus was primarily to North America. If the migrants survived the long ocean journey, many unfortunately would find more discrimination in the colonies of British North America and the fledgling United States of America. These newly arrived Irish were, however, wanted as a cheap source of labor for the many large agricultural and industrial projects that were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the western world. Early immigration and passenger lists indicate many people bearing the Swiney name:

Swiney Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Briant Swiney, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 2
Mary Swiney, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 2

Swiney Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mrs. Swiney, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1769 2

Swiney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Swiney, aged 28, who landed in Maine in 1812 2
Honora Swiney, aged 10, who arrived in New York, NY in 1855 2
Andrew Swiney, aged 14, who landed in New York, NY in 1855 2
D. Swiney, aged 60, who settled in America from Londonderry, in 1892
Mrs. Swiney, aged 50, who settled in America from Londonderry, in 1892
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Swiney Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Michael Swiney, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States from Castleconaell, Ireland, in 1908
James Swiney, aged 21, who immigrated to the United States from Mallow, Ireland, in 1908
John Swiney, aged 31, who landed in America from Cork, Ireland, in 1909
Daniel Swiney, aged 84, who immigrated to the United States, in 1910
Edward Swiney, aged 16, who immigrated to America from Fermoy, Ireland, in 1911
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Swiney migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Swiney Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

John Swiney, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749
John Swiney, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Morgan Swiney, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1750

Swiney Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Swiney, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1832

Swiney 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:

Swiney Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Harriett Swiney, aged 22, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Wairoa" in 1877

Contemporary Notables of the name Swiney (post 1700) +

Erwin Bernard Swiney (b. 1978), American former cornerback in the National Football League
Christopher Casey "C.C." Swiney (b. 1981), American writer, actor, and comedian from Big Stone Gap, Virginia
Major John Swiney (1832-1918), English Naval officer, husband of Francis Swiney
William Swiney (1748-1829), English Naval officer, Admiral of the Red, father of George Swiney
George Swiney (1793-1844), English physician from St Marylebone, Middlesex, benefactor of the eponymous Swiney Prize, a British award made every five years by the Royal Society of Arts
Thomas James Swiney (1875-1945), Australian politician, member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Byron (1920-1922)
Rosa Frances Emily Swiney (1847-1922), née Biggs, British feminist and writer, member of the British Raj in India

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)