Sweeney is used as a family name or surname in Ireland. It is 7 characters long in length.

Family Name / Last Name: Sweeney
No. of characters: 7
Origin: Ireland
Meaning:

A form of Sweeny. See Mac Sweeny - A well-known prefix of surnames of Celtic origin, signifying son of, and therefore cognate withthe Ap-of Welsh, the Fitz-of Anglo-Norman, and the Son of English surnames. In England and other countries of Europe the great staple of family names is derived from a territorial source, but among the Celts of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, the surname was almost uniformly that of the father or some ancestor, with a prefix. In Ireland O, (formerly ua) grandson or descendant, is the ordinary prefix, and the O's bear the proportion of ten to one to the Macs. In Scotland the case is reversed, and while there are said to be only three indigenous surnames in O, there are many hundreds of Macs. See art.

O' in this Dictionary.

,p>By the kindness of correspondents who have made collections of surnames with this prefix, I am enabled to lay before the reader a nearly complete list of them-nay, it may rather be called redundant, since in many instances two or more variations of a name have been made through ignorance among the lower classes of the people. This is especially the case when the name which follows the Mac begins with a vowel, and the c is tacked on to the beginning of the same name. In this way Mac Alpine, Mac Allan, and Mac Leod have become Mac Calapine, Mac Callan, and Mac Cloud, to the total confusion of kindred and etymology. Near kinsmen sometimes vary their common patronymic so much that none but themselves would imagine that they were of a common stock; thus a Mac Črie might be uncle, and a Mac Craw, cousin, to a MacRae. The principal names in MAC, such as those of Clans, will receive each a separate notice in the body of the work. As before intimated, a very large proportion of those here given, en masse, are borne by the lowest of the Celtic people, and possess no historical interest. Some, on the other hand, have always been associated with wealth and worldly respectability; while a few are obviously English names to which Juc has been prefixed from mere caprice, or from a desire of assimilation to the Celtic race.

The form of Kensett. A modification of Mackenzie.

Sweeney is variation of MacKenzie. The son of Coinneach meaning "fair, bright".

Family name Sweeney is a form of McSweeney. The son of Suibhne meaning "good going".

The is variation of Swane. Dweller at the sign of the swan; the swain, a servant; descendant of Sevinn or Swan meaning "knight's attendant"; one who kept swans.

The is the variant of Sweney. The son of the peaceful or quiet one.

Sweeney is variant of the Mackenzie. Son of Kenneth. This clan derive their name from the third Baron of Kintail, who, bearing the same forename as his father, was styled Kenneth McKenneth.

How popular is Sweeney?

Sweeney is common in United States, England, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Scotland, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Wales, Jamaica, South Africa, Egypt, Thailand, Afghanistan, Spain.

Sweeney is ranked 4942 on our list.

Despite the fact that the number of Sweeney bearers increased by 1.77 per cent in 2010 US census to 52410 since 2000, the surname slipped by 60 spots and ranked at 651. The last name was found in around 2 per ten thousand population. Please refer to following table for race and ethnicity.

Race 2010 2000
White 90.6 92.12
Black 4.76 4.37
Hispanic or Latino 2.38 1.57
Others 1.3 1.06
Asian and Native Hawaiian
& Other Pacific Islander		 0.56 0.44
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.39 0.44
Sweeney is quite popular family name mostly used in United States while Montserrat is ahead in terms of density. Around 114376 people have been found who wears Sweeney as their family name. Sweeney is used widely across the globe. More detailed information can be found below:
RankCountryCount
Countries with ten thousands of Sweeney:
582 United States70,605
560 England13,341
68 Ireland10,069
Countries with thousands of Sweeney:
645 Australia6,055
1,220 Canada4,462
224 Scotland4,103
223 Northern Ireland1,683
Countries with hundreds of Sweeney:
1,043 New Zealand729
562 Wales603
774 Jamaica464
18,737 South Africa322
21,412 Egypt275
57,264 Thailand213
3,349 Afghanistan199
18,803 Spain147
Countries with low frequency i.e., 50 - 100:
4,751 Dominican Republic92
66,306 Germany85
99,796 France79
Countries with very low frequency i.e., 10 - 50:
18 Montserrat48
16,410 Switzerland45
263 Saint Kitts and Nevis39
6,278 Singapore39
482 United States Virgin Islands39
463 Isle of Man36
434 Antigua and Barbuda35
527 Jersey34
142,207 Philippines33
162,221 Brazil31
7,685 Qatar31
4,095 Trinidad and Tobago30
12,265 Portugal28
58,330 Netherlands22
23,390 United Arab Emirates18
4,443 China17
5,162 Cyprus17
3,288 Hong Kong16
31,311 Norway16
4,970 Guyana13
45,186 Japan13
313 British Virgin Islands12
30,183 Denmark12
16,904 Ecuador12
108,968 Italy12
61,223 Sweden12
50,646 Israel11
Countries with very very low frequency i.e., 6 - 10:
111,742 Malaysia10
684,495 India9
12,261 Solomon Islands9
33,931 Venezuela9
26,217 Estonia8
3,029 Guam8
97,842 Czechia7
Show Full Last Name Distribution

Immigrants to US

From Ireland

Ann Sweeney was 22 years old when she migrated to Providence during Irish famine on May 14, 1846. She lived in Ireland where she worked as workwoman and took Arabella from Liverpool. 21 years old Timothy Sweeney, Workman Thomas Sweeney, 30 years old Cornelius Sweeney, 30 years old Joseph Sweeney, Spinster Nelly Sweeney, 25 years old Jno. Sweeney, Ann Sweeney, aged 19, Daniel Sweeney (20) Workman, and 793 other Sweeney around 56.73% of whom were workman while others worked as farmer and spinster, servant, carpenter, tailoress, merchant, blacksmith, shoemaker, barrel maker/ cooper, carter, dressmaker, mechanic, butcher migrated to US from Liverpool, Cork and Galway.

From Germany

Spinster Bessy Sweeney from Germany aboard the The Queen from Liverpool & Queenstown. He is registered to be 20 years old when he arrived in USA on September 5, 1865. Ellen Sweeney, Mary Sweeney (7), 16 years old Ann Sweeney, 52 years old Mary Sweeney, Laborer Peter Sweeney, are other Sweeney that migrated to US.

Sweeney Namesakes

  • Francis E. Sweeney, Francis Edward Sweeney Sr
  • Sylvia Sweeney, Canadian executive television producer and Olympian
  • Joel Sweeney, musician and early blackface minstrel performer
  • Bruce Sweeney, Canadian film director
  • Craig Sweeney, Welsh child sex offender, from Newport, Gwent
  • James Johnson Sweeney, American curator, and writer about modern art
  • Kyle Sweeney, American professional lacrosse player
  • Randy Sweeney, American research scientist
  • James Joseph Sweeney, American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church
  • Madeline Amy Sweeney, American flight attendant killed on board American Airlines Flight 11 during the September 11 attacks
  • Mike Sweeney, former Major League Baseball designated hitter and first baseman
  • Walt Sweeney, American football offensive lineman and end,
  • D. B. Sweeney, American actor
  • Julia Sweeney, American actress, comedian and author
  • Alison Sweeney, American actress, reality show host
  • Charles Sweeney, officer
  • Claire Sweeney, English actress, singer and television personality
  • John E. Sweeney, American politician
  • Stephen M. Sweeney, American executive and Democratic Party politician
  • Terry Sweeney, American writer, comedian and actor
  • Matt Sweeney, guitarist, vocalist
  • Robert K. Sweeney, retired New York Assemblyman first elected
  • Mark Sweeney, former first baseman in Major League Baseball
  • Steve Sweeney, American comedian
  • Martin J. Sweeney, American politician of the Democratic Party
  • Ceri Sweeney, rugby union footballer
  • Antony Sweeney, former professional footballer
  • Don Sweeney, Canadian former ice hockey defenceman
  • Michelle Sweeney, Canadian actor and soul singer
  • Larry Sweeney, professional wrestler
  • Fionnuala Sweeney, Irish anchorwoman and reporter
  • Anne Sweeney, American business woman
  • Charlie Sweeney, American Major League Baseball pitcher
  • Robert Augustus Sweeney, sailor
  • Walter Sweeney, British Conservative politician
  • Justin Sweeney, Australian rules footballer
  • Brian Sweeney, American former professional baseball pitcher
  • Peter Sweeney, Scottish former footballer and assistant manager of Southern Counties East League club Glebe
  • Hank Sweeney, Major League Baseball first baseman
  • Ryan Sweeney, American former Major League Baseball outfielder
  • Daisy Sweeney, Canadian music teacher
  • Ed Sweeney, Major League Baseball catcher
  • Mary Sweeney, American film producer, director
  • Martin L. Sweeney, U.S. Representative
  • Robert E. Sweeney, U.S. Representative
  • William N. Sweeney, U.S. Representative from Kentucky
  • Nigel Sweeney, The Hon
  • Mac Sweeney, Republican former member of the United States House of Representatives
  • Neil Sweeney, Australian professional rugby league footballer
  • Shelley Sweeney, Canadian actress, model and narrator based
  • Calvin Sweeney, former professional American football wide receiver

Sweeney Namesakes

  • Francis E. Sweeney, Francis Edward Sweeney Sr
  • Sylvia Sweeney, Canadian executive television producer and Olympian
  • Joel Sweeney, musician and early blackface minstrel performer
  • Bruce Sweeney, Canadian film director
  • Craig Sweeney, Welsh child sex offender, from Newport, Gwent
  • James Johnson Sweeney, American curator, and writer about modern art
  • Kyle Sweeney, American professional lacrosse player
  • Randy Sweeney, American research scientist
  • James Joseph Sweeney, American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church
  • Madeline Amy Sweeney, American flight attendant killed on board American Airlines Flight 11 during the September 11 attacks
  • Mike Sweeney, former Major League Baseball designated hitter and first baseman
  • Walt Sweeney, American football offensive lineman and end,
  • D. B. Sweeney, American actor
  • Julia Sweeney, American actress, comedian and author
  • Alison Sweeney, American actress, reality show host
  • Charles Sweeney, officer
  • Claire Sweeney, English actress, singer and television personality
  • John E. Sweeney, American politician
  • Stephen M. Sweeney, American executive and Democratic Party politician
  • Terry Sweeney, American writer, comedian and actor
  • Matt Sweeney, guitarist, vocalist
  • Robert K. Sweeney, retired New York Assemblyman first elected
  • Mark Sweeney, former first baseman in Major League Baseball
  • Steve Sweeney, American comedian
  • Martin J. Sweeney, American politician of the Democratic Party
  • Ceri Sweeney, rugby union footballer
  • Antony Sweeney, former professional footballer
  • Don Sweeney, Canadian former ice hockey defenceman
  • Michelle Sweeney, Canadian actor and soul singer
  • Larry Sweeney, professional wrestler
  • Fionnuala Sweeney, Irish anchorwoman and reporter
  • Anne Sweeney, American business woman
  • Charlie Sweeney, American Major League Baseball pitcher
  • Robert Augustus Sweeney, sailor
  • Walter Sweeney, British Conservative politician
  • Justin Sweeney, Australian rules footballer
  • Brian Sweeney, American former professional baseball pitcher
  • Peter Sweeney, Scottish former footballer and assistant manager of Southern Counties East League club Glebe
  • Hank Sweeney, Major League Baseball first baseman
  • Ryan Sweeney, American former Major League Baseball outfielder
  • Daisy Sweeney, Canadian music teacher
  • Ed Sweeney, Major League Baseball catcher
  • Mary Sweeney, American film producer, director
  • Martin L. Sweeney, U.S. Representative
  • Robert E. Sweeney, U.S. Representative
  • William N. Sweeney, U.S. Representative from Kentucky
  • Nigel Sweeney, The Hon
  • Mac Sweeney, Republican former member of the United States House of Representatives
  • Neil Sweeney, Australian professional rugby league footballer
  • Shelley Sweeney, Canadian actress, model and narrator based
  • Calvin Sweeney, former professional American football wide receiver

Related Family Names: