Surname McEneany - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
McEneany: What does the surname McEneany mean?
The surname McEneany is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic name "Mac an Eanaigh", which translates to "son of the storm". This surname is mainly found in the northern counties of Ireland, particularly in County Monaghan. Like many surnames, it was likely used to convey a distinctive physical trait or characteristic associated with the original bearer, in this case, perhaps a tempestuous or energetic nature. Over the years, due to variations in spelling and phonetic interpretations, it has many different forms such as McAneny, McAnany, MacEnaney, etc. Despite these variations, the original meaning remains largely unchanged.
Order DNA origin analysisMcEneany: Where does the name McEneany come from?
The surname McEneany is of Irish origin. It is developed from the Gaelic Mac an Eanaigh, which means the 'son of the bird'. It is a descriptive surname formed by adding the prefix "Mac", meaning "son of", to a personal or descriptive name.
The surname has a number of variant spellings, including McAneney, MacAnnanea, MacAneny, and MacEneaney, among others. The crest of the family includes a bird’s nest containing two young birds, emphasizing the meaning of the name.
McEneany is relatively rare and is not particularly common anywhere in the world today. However, it is more frequently found in regions with a significant Irish diaspora, such as the United States, especially in states such as New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. In the United Kingdom, it can be found in places where Irish Immigrants have settled, including parts of London and Northern Ireland. In Ireland itself, it is particularly associated with the northern part of the country, especially County Monaghan.
Variations of the surname McEneany
The surname McEneany originates from Ireland, specifically from the Gaelic name "Mac an Fhineánaigh". Over time, different spellings and variants came about due to regional dialects, pronunciations, and anglicization.
Alternative spellings and variants of McEneany include: McEnaney, MacEnaney, McInerney, McInnerney, McEneaney, MacEneaney, McEaneny, MacEaneny, McAneny, MacAneny, McEnany, MacEnany, among others.
It's important to note that the prefix "Mc" or "Mac" in Irish surnames means "son of," indicating a patrilineal descent. The "Fhineánaigh" part may refer to a geographic location, a profession, or a personal characteristic of the original bearers. Consequently, the use of alternative prefixes like "O'" could also occur though they might denote a different familial relationship (descendants of) and therefore are not strictly interchangeable.
Moreover, considering the complexities of transcription between different languages, it is possible that same-origin surnames might not share an obvious visual similarity to McEneany.
Furthermore, the process of anglicization, the change from Gaelic to English-language form, often led to significant changes in spelling and pronunciation which further increased the variance in surnames.
Famous people with the name McEneany
- Sarah McEneany: a YouTuber from Ireland who has a vlogging channel, where she shares tips for leading a healthy lifestyle.
- Abbie McEneany: a professional figure skater from England, who competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics.
- Ryan McEneany: an American football player who plays for the Tennessee Titans in the NFL.
- Grant McEneany: an Australian actor, writer, and director, known for his roles in the films ‘The Dressmaker’ and ‘Dying of the Light’.
- Alex McEneany: a Canadian musician and songwriter who is a member of the indie-pop band, ‘The Wooden Pints’.
- Chloe McEneany: an Irish-American musician who is the lead vocalist of the punk-rock band ‘The Dregs’.
- Kate McEneany: a British fashion designer who has been featured in ‘Vogue’ magazine.
- Tom McEneany: a Scottish filmmaker, who most notably directed the movie ‘Carnival of Life’.
- Jenny McEneany: an author from England, who wrote the novel ‘Millionaires’ Market’.
- Peter McEneany: an actor from New Zealand, who appeared in the film ‘The Piano’.