Surname McNinney - Meaning and Origin
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McNinney: What does the surname McNinney mean?
The surname McNinney is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic "Mac an Fhine." The prefix "Mac" means "son of" and "Fhine" refers to the name of a clan or family. Hence, McNinney can mean "son of the family of Finney". It is believed that this surname originated from the descendants of the Gaelic tribes in Ireland during the Middle Ages. Over the centuries, variations of the spelling appeared, making it quite a common feature in Irish surnames due to the translation between Gaelic to English. Like many Irish surnames, the exact meaning can differ based on the area of origin, local dialect, different translations, and the passage of time. Therefore, while the most commonly accepted interpretation is "son of the family of Finney", it's important to note that specific meanings may vary.
Order DNA origin analysisMcNinney: Where does the name McNinney come from?
The surname McNinney is of Irish origin. It is a variant of the name McKinney, which is itself derived from the Gaelic name Mac Cionaodha. This name combines the elements "Mac," meaning "son of," and "Cionaodha," a personal name composed of "cion", meaning respect or affection, and "Aodh", the name of a pagan god. There isn't extensive data on the name McNinney itself, so it is likely a rarer variant.
In terms of its geographic prevalence today, the surname McNinney, similar to many Irish surnames, can be found in various parts of the world, thanks to the Irish diaspora. This includes countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada, where Irish immigrants have historically relocated. However, it is less common than its parent name, McKinney. It is worth noting that geographical distributions of surnames can change over time due to migration, thus the current commonality could evolve.
Variations of the surname McNinney
The surname McNinney is of Irish origin and there are several variants and spellings of this name.
The exact spelling variations differ greatly because, throughout history, surnames were often recorded based on their phonetic sound rather than any standardized spelling. Therefore, people often spelled the same surname in various ways.
Some common variants and possible misspellings for the surname McNinney include: McInaney, McInenny, McInnenny, McAneney, McAninny, McNennay, McNinny, McNiney, McNaney, McAnaney, and so on.
An important thing to note is that the prefix "Mc" in Irish names signifies "son of," therefore, McNinney likely means "son of Ninney," and the same would apply for all its variants. However, the surname McNinney and its variants are not particularly common, so they may sometimes be misheard or misspelled as other, more common Irish surnames.
Although it may be challenging to trace the complete history and variations of the surname McNinney due to these inconsistencies, these are some of the most likely possibilities.
Famous people with the name McNinney
- Abby McNinney: American actress
- Ryan McNinney: American professional mountain biker
- Gail McNinney: American actress
- Rollin McNinney: American Academy Award-nominated sound editor
- Joe McNinney: American actor
- Wesley McNinney: American baseball player
- Mark McNinney: American actor
- Cara McNinney: American actress
- Andy McNinney: American actor and producer
- Sean McNinney: American technology CEO