Kearney Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Kearney last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
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Meaning and origin of the Kearney last name
Meaning of the Kearney last name: descendant of Catharnach ("warlike"). Kearney comes from two main Gaelic names: Ó Catharnaigh, "descendant of Catharnach", a byname meaning "warlike", and Ó Cearnaigh, "victorious". The Ó Catharnaigh family were centred in Westmeath, while Ó Cearnaigh families lived in Clare, Mayo and Cork. Spellings drifted between Kearney, Carney and Kearny. The name is frequent in Dublin and Munster, and Kearney in Nebraska takes its name from Fort Kearny, named after General Stephen W. Kearny. Kilcoursey, in what is now County Offaly, was the territory of the Ó Catharnaigh, a family known in Irish as An Sionnach, "the fox", and some branches adopted the English name Fox. The Ó Cearnaigh of Clare were linked to the Dál gCais, the people of the O'Briens. Many Kearneys emigrated to the United States, England and Australia in the 19th century.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Kearney name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Kearney name in Ireland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, England and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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Kearney name FAQ
What does the Kearney name mean?
Descendant of Catharnach ("warlike"). Common variants include Carney, Kearny, O'Kearney.
Where does the Kearney surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.
Is there a Kearney coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Kearney crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Kearney 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); US Census Bureau 2010.