Hennessy Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Hennessy last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
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Meaning and origin of the Hennessy last name
Meaning of the Hennessy last name: descendant of Aonghus. Hennessy comes from Ó hAonghusa, "descendant of Aonghus", a personal name meaning "one choice" or "true vigour". There were several separate septs, in Offaly near Clara, in north County Dublin, and in Cork, where the name is most numerous today. Richard Hennessy, an Irish officer in French service from Cork, founded the cognac house at Cognac in 1765, and the family name became famous across Europe. The north Dublin family held lands near Garristown and Ballyboghil. In Cork the family were numerous in the barony of Barrymore. The French spelling Hennessy was used by Richard Hennessy, who served in the Irish Brigade of the French army before founding his cognac business, which became one of the best-known in the world. Many Hennessys emigrated to the United States, England and Australia in the 19th century, and the name is common in all three countries today.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Hennessy name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Hennessy name in Ireland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, England and France; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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Your full Hennessy pack adds the researched history, early records and migration. Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Hennessy coat of arms for you.
Hennessy name FAQ
What does the Hennessy name mean?
Descendant of Aonghus. Common variants include Hennessey, Henesy, O'Hennessy.
Where does the Hennessy surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and France.
Is there a Hennessy coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Hennessy crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Hennessy coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).