Surname Clony - Meaning and Origin
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Clony: What does the surname Clony mean?
The surname Clony is a variant of the more well-known Clancy, and both originate from an old Gaelic surname. The name Clony comes from the Irish name ‘Mac Fhlannchaidh’ which literally translates to ‘son of a red-haired one’. The root of this name is the Gaelic ‘flann’, which is the term for ‘red-haired’.
Since its creation, the name has been mainly found in parts of Ireland, where it was first used, as well as Scotland and England. It may be assumed that the Clony family was one of many Irish families that were forced to emigrate from Ireland due to poverty and starvation brought on by reliance on potato crops that failed due to blight.
The Clony's were likely country people, relying on their farming and herding to provide a modest life for themselves. During this time, many Clony’s aided in the struggle for Ireland’s independence, resulting in some of the family being arrested and sent away to penal colonies or even exiled from the country.
Today, the Clony family is known for being hard-working and industrious. They are one of the Irish families that have continued to reap the rewards of their hard work and dedication. The Clony name is a reminder of their perseverance, and the traditional qualities of the Irish that have helped to shape the current Irish identity.
Order DNA origin analysisClony: Where does the name Clony come from?
The last name Clony is most commonly found in Ireland today. Many of the earliest mentions of the family date back to the mid-seventeenth century in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Clony family members were mostly small farmers and merchants, settling in various parts of what was then known as the Kingdom of Ireland.
With the advent of faster transport in the 19th century, the Clony family spread outwards, some to England, Scotland, and parts of the United States. Over the years, as these different branches of the family reconnected, it became clear that there were no large concentrations of the surname outside of Ireland.
Today, the surname is especially concentrated in the northeastern part of Ireland around Dublin and Ulster. It is one of the 80 or so most common surnames among Irish families today, considered quite common in the country.
Within Ireland, many different monikers and variations of the Clony surname have arisen which share an origin in common. This includes versions such as Claney, Clonye, Cloony, and Cluney. It was also common for the name to get miswritten as Clane, Clancy, and Clune.
Variations of the surname Clony
The surname Clony is an Anglicized version of the Irish surname Ó Cluanaigh, which is derived from the Irish word "cluana," meaning church. Other variants of the surname Clony include Cluny, Clunie, Cluney, Cloney, McLuny and McLuney. These variants can be found in Ireland and England, as well as in Scotland, Canada, the United States and Australia.
The Gaelic form of the surname Clony is Ó Cluanaigh. It is an old name that originated in Ireland in the 11th century. In Irish, the prefix Ó indicates “descendant of,” while the suffix aigh signifies “a person from a church.” Therefore, the full meaning of this surname is “descendant of the person from the church.”
There are several variants of the surname Clony, some of which are still used today. The primary variants are Cluny, Clunie, Cluney, Cloney, McLuny and McLuney. Clony and Cluny are the two most common variants.
Cluny and Clunie are used mainly in Scotland but also in Ireland and England. Cluney and its variations are mostly found in Ireland. Cloney is primarily seen in the United States and Canada. Finally, McLuny and McLuney can be found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
In conclusion, the surname Clony has a rich history and origin. Its variants and spellings include Cluny, Clunie, Cluney, Cloney, McLuny and McLuney. These variations are used both in Ireland and around the world, with Clony and Cluny being the most common.
Famous people with the name Clony
- Michael Cloney: American actor and comedian.
- Christopher Cloney: American dancer and choreographer.
- Siobhan Cloney: Irish singer, songwriter, and model.
- Jimmy Cloney: Irish Gaelic football player.
- Helmut Clony: German actor and voice actor.
- Peter Cloney: Scottish actor and television presenter.
- Kevin Cloney: American basketball player.
- Jack Clony: American baseball player.
- John Clony: American politician.
- Patrick Clony: Irish politician.
- Steve Clony: English actor.
- Sue Clony: British actress.
- Colin Clony: British actor.
- Jim Clony: American Major League Baseball player.
- Eugene Clony: American poet and civil rights activist.
- James Clony: German composer and music producer.
- Deborah Clony: American actress.
- William Clony: American army doctor and politician.
- Pab Clony: American Marine, Medal of Honor recipient.
- Patrick Clony: American cartoonist.