Surname Feenan - Meaning and Origin
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Feenan: What does the surname Feenan mean?
The last name Feenan is of Irish origins from the province of Ulster. It is a variant of the name Fenian which originates from the Irish ‘Fianna’, a group of ancient warriors who legendarily fought against the ruling kings in Ireland. Though the name Fenian originally had a positive connotation, its meaning has shifted over time, coming to represent a political movement that campaigned for independence of Ireland from British rule in the 19th century.
Fenian was also used to describe any Irish emigrants and their subsequent family members who opted to live outside of Ireland during this period. Therefore, anyone with the surname Feenan may likely descend from these emigrant ancestors. The Feenan surname likely came about as a shortened version of the Fenian name and may be found scattered throughout parts of Ireland, especially in the province of Ulster, as well as in other countries around the world such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.
As a family name, Feenan is believed to embody a sense of courage and bravery, likely stemming from the legendary warriors it originated from. It was a bold step for those who left Ireland to try and make a better life elsewhere. Feenan can be seen as an homage to those ancestors and a reminder of the strong spirit, determination, and tenacity they had in order to succeed against all odds.
Order DNA origin analysisFeenan: Where does the name Feenan come from?
The last name Feenan is an Irish surname; it is a variant of the Irish surname 'Ó Fionnagáin', which is derived from the personal name Fionnagán, a diminutive of Fionn (Gaelic for ‘fair’ or ‘white’). The Feenan family were originally from Connacht but have eventually branched out to many parts of the world.
Today, the Feenans can be found in many places throughout the world, including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. The most common places of residence in Ireland are in towns and villages in counties like Dublin, Wexford, Galway, and Mayo, but it is also common in other parts of the country.
In the United States, the Feenans can be found throughout the Midwest and in other parts of the country in states like California, New York, Arizona, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New Jersey. The states with the highest population of Feenans include California, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, New York, and Pennsylvania.
The most popular cities in the United States with Feenans are Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, San Francisco, Dallas, and Philadelphia. This is due to the high population of Irish immigrants that settled in these cities in the 1800s.
In the United Kingdom, the Feenans are mainly found in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The popular locations include Leeds, London, Manchester, Belfast, Hertfordshire, and Liverpool.
Overall, the last name Feenan is quite popular today, with many people around the world proudly bearing the name.
Variations of the surname Feenan
The surname Feenan is derived from the Gaelic names O Fionnain or MacFionnain. It is also known to be spelt with various different spellings such as: Feen, Fein, Feine, Fean, Finne, Fine, Finney, Fyne, Fein, Finan, Fionnain, and MacFionnain.
The surname usually originated from County Antrim and County Limerick in Ireland. The surname usually began with an O prefix which was a patronymic style of surnaming which included the name of the father. This was a common practise during the Medieval Ages.
The Feenan variants are usually found around the same areas as the original surname and have some progression of the older surname. Variants include: O Feenan, McFeinan, O Feinan, O Finan, O Finney, O Fyne, O Fyen, MacFionnáin, Fynan, Feinan, Fenne, Fenn, Fein, Fanny, Finnan, Fine, Finney, Finneen, Fian, Fyun, Fyne, Feehan, Finnen, and Fehan.
The surname is also related to several other Irish surnames which have similar spellings and variations, such as: Fynn, Fain, Fen, Faan, Fenne, Fenney, Fynne, Phynn, Varan, Bunny, and Fina.
The various spellings and surname variants of Feenan can be found in many different countries, such as Ireland, England, United States, Australia, Wales, Scotland, Canada, and New Zealand. In addition, the surname is also found in some parts of Europe and Latin America.
The various spellings and surnames of Feenan reflect the antiquity of the practise of using surnames as a way to identify a family or community, as well as a way to denote a person’s place of origin.
Famous people with the name Feenan
- John Feenan: American actor known for his roles in Dunkirk and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
- Peggy Feenan: American actress, best known for her roles in Hallmark Channel original movies.
- Bryan Feenan: Pop/R&B singer-songwriter from Canada.
- Kevin Feenan: English footballer, played for Brentford from 1998 to 2003.
- Richard Feenan: American playwright, best known for the award-winning play Confessions of a Pretty Lady.
- Joan Feenan: American poet and essayist.
- Alice Feenan: American journalist, former editor-in-chief of The Nation.
- James Feenan: American professor of history and popular author.
- Sean Feenan: Irish actor, known for his role as Brian Malloy on Red Rock.
- Paul Feenan: Director and writer of the short film Father Figure.