The name Feeneys originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Fiannaidhe. This name, which was Ó Feinneadha in its earlier form, refers to a soldier. 1
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Early Origins of the Feeneys family
The surname Feeneys was first found in Galway (Irish: Gaillimh) part of the province of Connacht, located on the west coast of the Island, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, and where their territories were Ballyfeeney and in Roscommon. Moving north into Ulster the name became Finney. This branch also moved into southwest Scotland from about the 15th century.
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Early History of the Feeneys family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Feeneys research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1509, 1541, 1551, 1640 and 1678 are included under the topic Early Feeneys History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Feeneys Spelling Variations
Names written in official documents were generally spelt as they sounded, leading to the problem of one name being recorded under several different variations, creating the illusion in records of more than one person. Among the many spelling variations of the surname Feeneys that are preserved in documents of the family history are Finney, Feeney, Finnay, Finny, Fynnie, Fynney, Feenay, Feeny, Feaney, Feanay, Feany and many more.
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Early Notables of the Feeneys family
More information is included under the topic Early Feeneys Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Feeneys family
Many destitute Irish families in the 18th and 19th centuries decided to leave their homeland, which had in many ways been scarred by English colonial rule. One of the most frequent destinations for these families was North America where it was possible for an Irish family to own their own parcel of land. Many of the early settlers did find land awaiting them in British North America, or even later in America, but for the majority of immigrants that arrived as a result of the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s the ownership of land was often a long way off. These Irish people were initially put to work on such industrial projects as the building of bridges, canals, and railroads, or they worked at manufacturing positions within factories. Whenever they arrived, the Irish made enormous contributions to the infant nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the earliest immigrants to bearer the name of Feeneys were found through extensive research of immigration and passenger lists: Robert Finney, who purchased land in Virginia in 1716; John Finney landed in Maryland in 1774; Robert Finney settled in Virginia in 1716; Ellen Finney settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1840.
