This name, with variant spellings, Luney, (O) Lunney and (O) Looney is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Irish "O'Luanaigh", meaning "descendant of Luanach" a personal name which comes from "Luan", a warrior. There were two O' Luanaigh septs in Ireland, one, belonging to the Munster counties of Cork, Kerry and Clare. The Gaelic poet and scholar Brian O' Looney (1873 - 1901) was from Clare. "Lowney", a form of Looney is popular in the Castletownbere region of West Cork. The second spet of O' Luanaigh were important in medieval times.
They were once chiefs of Cenel Moen in the barony of Raphoe, Co. Donegal they were driven across the river Foyle into the barony of Strabane where they established themselves firmly. The territory of Manterlooney in Co. Tyrone is named after this sept. Today the (O') Looney's are popular in this region and in Co. Fermanagh. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Looney, (christened), which was dated January 31st 1636, in St. Dunstan, Stepney, London, during the reign of King Charles 1, known as "The Martyr", 1625 - 1649. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
The history of the surname loney is, like that of most surnames, a complex and fascinating journey to ancient times with the aim of unraveling the origin of loney. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname loney is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation. Adhering to what we know about the way surnames originated, it is possible to offer a realistic explanation of the origins of loney.
It is common for surnames like loney to become known in places far removed from their country or region of origin. Discover which ones. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname loney provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations.
The historical journey of the surname loney can be traced back to those who were the first bearers of loney. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname loney, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of loney developed. In the following lines, you will find everything we have been able to gather about the surname loney.
You can visit us regularly to get more information about the origin of the surname loney, as we frequently accept significant contributions from other individuals interested in heraldry and the history of surnames. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about loney and send it to us, we will update it on this website.
Unfortunately, it's highly probable that not all loneys who performed notable deeds have been included in historical chronicles and records. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname loney were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. If you or someone you know bears the surname loney, you could potentially build illustrious lineages through your efforts and virtues. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname loney who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
It goes without saying that consulting bibliographic and documentary sources is essential when accessing information about the origins of the surname loney. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of loney are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation. Accessing the archives of the town or towns where your ancestors were born and lived is, of course, a good way to trace the origins of loney.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of loney, and at the same time, of surnames in general.