Heaney is a surname of Irish origin. It is an

Anglicisation Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...

of the

Gaelic Gaelic (pronounced for Irish Gaelic and for Scots Gaelic) is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". It may refer to: Languages * Gaelic languages or Goidelic languages, a linguistic group that is one of the two branches of the Insul ...

''Ó hEignigh'', thought to be based on the Gaelic a

personal name A personal name, full name or prosoponym (from Ancient Greek ''prósōpon'' – person, and ''onoma'' –name) is the set of names by which an individual person or animal is known. When taken together as a word-group, they all relate to that on ...

meaning "horseman". It was mistakenly thought to derive from Éan, Gaelic for Bird. Versions of it are written in the

Annals Annals (, from , "year") are a concise history, historical record in which events are arranged chronology, chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record. Scope The nature of the distinction betw ...

from the 8th century and has a diverse array of modern derivations and origins. They were chiefs of Fermanagh and

Kings of Airgíalla Kings or King's may refer to: *Kings: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations. *One of several works known as the "Book of Kings": **The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts **The ''Shahnameh'', an 11th-century epic Persia ...

before the expansion south of

Uí Néill The Uí Néill (; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties that claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who is believed to have died around c. 405. They are generally divided ...

branches

Cenél Fearadhaigh Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history *Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...

and

Cenél nEoghain Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history *Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...

into

Airgíalla Airgíalla (; Modern Irish: Oirialla, English: Oriel, Latin: ''Ergallia'') was a medieval Irish over-kingdom and the collective name for the confederation of tribes that formed it. The confederation consisted of nine minor kingdoms, all indepen ...

and the rise of The

Maguire The Maguire ( ) family is an Irish clans, Irish clan based in County Fermanagh. The name derives from the Goidelic languages, Gaelic , which is "son of Odhar" meaning 'Wikt:sallow, sallow' or 'pale-faced'. According to legend, this relates to the ...

s in

Fermanagh Historically, Fermanagh (), as opposed to the modern County Fermanagh, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Fermanagh. ''Fir Manach'' originally referred to a distinct kin group of alleged Laigin or ...

. They became allies to repel the

Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...

in the 13th century. *1127, Gillachrist Ua hEighnigh, king of Feara-Manach, and chief king of Oirghiall, died in Clochar-Uí-nDaimhin (then the Royal capital of

), after choice penance. Notable people with the surname include: *

Aidan Heaney Aidan Heaney (born 9 August 1969) is an English retired football player and coach. He played in Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996 with the New England Revolution. He had formerly played in Germany and for the Greensboro Dynamo, where he was i ...

, retired English football player *

Andrew Heaney Andrew Mark Heaney (born June 5, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Los Angele ...

, baseball player * Bob Heaney, Canadian former ice hockey player *

Charles Heaney Charles Edward Heaney (1897–1981Wall text in "No Longer Forgotten: Uncovering the Stories of WPA Artists in the Northwest", Tacoma Art Museum, 2020) was an American painter and printmaker. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, he worked for ...

, American photographer and painter *

Craig Heaney Craig Heaney (born August 1973) is a British screen, stage and radio actor. He may be best known as Private Roy W. Cobb in the award-winning ten-part mini-series '' Band of Brothers'' (2001). He played Phil in Danny Cannon's 2005 football movie ...

, British actor of screen, stage and radio *

Dermot Heaney Dermot Heaney (born 27 July 1971) is a former Gaelic footballer who played for the Derry county team in the 1990s and early 2000s. He part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Championship winning side, also winning Ulster Senior Football Championships ...

, former Irish Gaelic footballer *

Francis Heaney Francis Heaney is a professional puzzle writer and editor (and a former editor-at-large) for ''GAMES Magazine'', as well as a former editor of ''Enigma,'' the official publication of the National Puzzlers' League, the composer and co-lyricist (wit ...

, crossword compiler * Frank Heaney, (1886–1937), Irish footballer *

Gerald William Heaney Gerald William Heaney (January 29, 1918 – June 22, 2010) served for nearly forty years as a United States federal judge, United States Circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, from his appointment by Presiden ...

, (1918–2010), federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals *

Gerald Heaney (magician) Gerald Vincent Heaney (January 26, 1899 – December 26, 1974) was a stage magician and magic supplier from Berlin, Wisconsin, United States. "Heaney the Great" and his magic show toured North America for a number of years during the mid 1900s. ...

, (1899–1974), American magician *

Geraldine Heaney Geraldine Heaney (born October 1, 1967) is an Irish-Canadian ice hockey coach and former defenceman. She played 18 seasons and over 1,000 games with the Toronto Aeros organization, won six Ontario provincial championships and was named Ontari ...

, Irish-Canadian ice hockey head coach *

Harry Heaney Harry Heaney is an Emeritus Professor of Organic Chemistry at Loughborough University. His research centres on heterocyclic compounds containing nitrogen Nitrogen is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol N and atomic numb ...

, emeritus Professor of Organic Chemistry *

Joe Heaney Joe Heaney (AKA Joe Éinniú; Irish: Seosamh Ó hÉanaí) (1 October 1919 – 1 May 1984) was an Irish traditional ( sean nós) singer from Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. He spent most of his adult life abroad, living in England, Scotland an ...

(AKA Joe Éinniú), (1919–1984), was an Irish traditional (sean nós) singer from County Galway, Ireland *

Katie Heaney Katie Heaney (born 1986) is an author and former BuzzFeed editor and senior writer for '' The Cut''. Her books include ''Never Have I Ever,'' ''Dear Emma,'' ''Would You Rather?'', ''Girl Crushed,'' and ''The Year I Stopped Trying.'' Career Hean ...

, American writer *

Mark Heaney Mark Andrew Heaney (born 14 August 1970) is an English drummer and composer, hailing from London. He was a member of The Seahorses (1998–1999), The Shining (2001–2002) and Gang of Four (2006–2013). Heaney's interest in drumming began ...

, drummer *

Mehgan Heaney-Grier Mehgan Heaney-Grier (born ''Mehgan Renee Heaney''; August 26, 1977) is an American champion free-diver, freediver, fashion model, actress, conservation movement, conservationist, and TV personality. Early life Heaney-Grier was born in Duluth, ...

, champion free diver, fashion model, actress, conservationist, and TV personality *

Neil Heaney Neil Andrew Heaney (born 3 November 1971) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger. Heaney began his career with top-flight club Arsenal before making 61 appearances in the Premier League for Southampton. He played i ...

, English former footballer *

Patrick Heeney Patrick Heeney (19 October 1881 – 13 June 1911), sometimes spelt Heaney, was an Irish composer whose most famous work is the music to the Irish national anthem "" (). Background Heeney was born at 101 Lower Mecklenburgh Street (now Railway St ...

, (1881–1911), sometimes spelt Heaney, was an Irish composer whose most famous work is the music to the Irish national anthem "Amhrán na bhFiann" (English: "The Soldier's Song") *

Robert S. Heaney Robert Stewart Heaney (born 15 March 1972) is a theologian and Anglican priest ordained in the Church of Ireland. A faculty member of Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) since 2013, he is Professor of Theology and Mission. From 2013 to 2020 he se ...

, author and Professor of Theology *

Sarah Heaney Sarah Heaney (born 19 May 1970) is a former Scottish television presenter. Life and career She began her TV career with Live TV as a news reporter, then went on to front ''S2 Live'' on the now defunct SMG digital channel S2. In early 2000 ...

, Scottish television presenter *

Seamus Heaney Seamus Justin Heaney (13 April 1939 – 30 August 2013) was an Irish Irish poetry, poet, playwright and translator. He received the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature. Among his best-known works is ''Death of a Naturalist'' (1966), his first m ...

(1939–2013), Irish poet, playwright and translator, who was awarded the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature * Stewart Heaney, Canadian cricketer * Thomas Heaney, Australian rules footballer * Tim Heaney, (1914–1996), South African cricketer

References

{{surname, Heaney English-language surnames Anglicised Irish-language surnames Surnames of Irish origin