Mooney is a family name, which is probably predominantly derived from the Irish Ó Maonaigh, pronounced Om-weeneey. It can also be spelled Moony, Moonie, Mainey, Mauney, Meaney and Meeney depending on the dialectic pronunciation that was anglicised.

Origins

The origin of the Moony or Mooney families is lost in antiquity. The name is derived from ''maoin'', a

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

word meaning ''wealth'' or ''treasure of treasure'', hence when O'Maonaigh was anglicised to Mooney it meant ''the descendant of the wealthy one.'' According to Irish lore, the Mooney family comes from one of the largest and most noble Irish lines. They are said to be descendants of the ancient Irish King Heremon, who, along with his brother Herber, conquered Ireland. Heremon slew his brother shortly after their invasion, took the throne for himself, and fathered a line of kings of Ireland that include Malachi II, and King Niall of the Nine Hostages. Baptismal records, parish records, ancient land grants, the

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or mediev ...

, and books by O'Hart, McLysaght, and O'Brien were all used in researching the history of the Mooney family name. These varied and often ancient records indicate that distant

sept A sept is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used in both Scotland and Ireland, where it may be translated as ''sliocht'', meaning "progeny" or "seed", which may indicate the descendants of a person ( ...

s of the name arose in several places throughout Ireland. The most known and most numerous sept came from the county of

Offaly County Offaly (; ga, Contae Uíbh Fhailí) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is named after the Ancient Ireland ...

. The members of this sept were from Chieftain Monach, son of Ailill Mor, Lord of

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label=Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

, who was descended from the Kings of Connacht. These family members gave their name to town lands called Ballymooney both in that county and in the neighbouring county of Leix.

People with the surname

* Al Mooney (1906–1986), aircraft designer and founder of

Mooney Airplane Company The Mooney International Corporation (formerly Mooney Aviation Company, Inc. and the Mooney Aircraft Company) is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Kerrville, Texas, United States. It manufactures single-engined piston-powered general ...

Alex Mooney Alexander Xavier Mooney (born June 7, 1971) is an American politician serving since 2015 as the U.S. representative from . A member of the Republican Party, he represented the 3rd district in the Maryland State Senate from 1999 to 2011 and is ...

(born 1971), member of Congress from West Virginia * Bel Mooney (born 1946), English journalist and broadcaster * Brian Mooney (born 1966), professional football player * C. P. J. Mooney (1865–1926), American newspaper publisher * Cameron Mooney (born 1979), Australian rules footballer * Carol Ann Mooney (fl. 1970s–2010s), president of Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana * Charles Mooney (born 1951), American boxer * Charles ("Chuck") W. Mooney Jr. (born 1947), American, the Charles A. Heimbold, Jr. Professor of Law, and former interim dean, at the

University of Pennsylvania Law School The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School (also known as Penn Law or Penn Carey Law) is the law school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is among the most selective and olde ...

* Chris Mooney (basketball) (born 1972), American basketball coach *

Darnell Mooney Darnell Mooney (born October 29, 1997) is an American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Tulane. High School career Darnell Mooney went to Gadsden City High Scho ...

(born 1997), American football player * Dave Mooney (born 1984), professional football player * Debra Mooney (born 1947), American actress *

Edward Aloysius Mooney Edward Aloysius Mooney (May 9, 1882 – October 25, 1958) was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Detroit from 1937 until his death, and was made a cardinal in 1946. Early life and ministry Edward Mo ...

(1882–1958), Roman Catholic Cardinal Archbishop of Detroit, former Bishop of Rochester *

Edward F. Mooney Edward F. Mooney (born 1941) is an internationally recognized Kierkegaard scholar. A retired professor of religion and philosophy, he taught at Sonoma State University, Syracuse University, and in Israel at Haifa and Tel Aviv Universities. As pr ...

(born 1941), noted Kierkegaard scholar and Professor of Religion at Syracuse University * Francie Mooney (1922–2006), musician, fiddler * Hercules Mooney (1715–1800), American Revolutionary War colonel *

James Mooney James Mooney (February 10, 1861 – December 22, 1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee. Known as "The Indian Man", he conducted major studies of Southeastern Indians, as well as of tribes on the ...

(1861–1921), anthropologist whose major works were about Native American Indians *

Jason Mooney (disambiguation) Jason Mooney may refer to: * Jason Mooney (Australian footballer) (born 1973), Australian rules footballer * Jason Mooney (Northern Irish footballer) (born 1989), Northern Irish professional footballer {{hndis, Coulson, Michael ...

, multiple people * John Mooney (disambiguation), multiple people *

Kathi Mooney Kathleen B. Mooney PhD, RN, FAAN is an American scientist, currently the Louis S. Peery and Janet B. Peery Presidential Endowed Chair in Nursing and Distinguished Professor of Nursing at the University of Utah. She is one of two co-leaders of t ...

(fl. 2010s–2020s), American scientist * Kevin Mooney (born 1962), Irish musician *

Kyle Mooney Kyle James Kozub Mooney (born September 4, 1984) is an American actor, comedian, and writer, who was a cast member of ''Saturday Night Live'' from 2013 until 2022. Mooney co-wrote and starred in the film '' Brigsby Bear'', in addition to co-crea ...

(born 1984), American comic actor, ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serve ...

'' *

Malcolm Mooney Malcolm Mooney (born 1944) is an American singer, poet, and artist, best known as the original vocalist for German krautrock band Can. Biography Mooney began singing in high school, and was a member of an a cappella vocal group known as the '' ...

(born 1944), original lead singer of rock group Can * Matt Mooney (born 1997), American basketball player *

Melvin Mooney Melvin Mooney (1893–1968) was an American physicist and rheologist. Life Mooney was born in Kansas City, Missouri.J. H. Dillon (1948) J. Colloid Sci. 4 (3) 187-8 "Introduction of Melvin Mooney as E. C. Bingham Medallist" He achieved an A.B. ...

(1893–1968), American physicist, developed the Mooney viscometer and other testing equipment used in the rubber industry * Paschal Mooney (born 1947), Irish politician *

Peter Mooney (conductor) Peter Mooney (18 September 1915 – 19 September 1983) was a Scottish educator and conductor of the renowned Glasgow Phoenix Choir. Born in 1915, Peter Mooney was to follow a career as a teacher of music and was to become the last principal of M ...

(1915–1983), Scottish educationalist and conductor (music) *

Peter Mooney (footballer) Edward "Peter" Mooney (born 22 March 1897) was an English professional footballer who played as a right half. Career Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Mooney played for Newcastle United, making over 120 appearances in the Football League The E ...

(born 1897), English professional footballer *

Paul Mooney (writer) Paul Mooney (November 4, 1904 – presumed dead after March 24, 1939) was a freelance journalist and photojournalist today best known for his collaborative work with adventurer and travel writer Richard Halliburton. Early life Born in Washing ...

(1904–1939), son of James Mooney * Paul Mooney (comedian) (1941–2021), American comedian, writer, and actor * Ralph Mooney (1928–2011), Bakersfield sound steel-guitar player who backed

Buck Owens Alvis Edgar Owens Jr. (August 12, 1929 – March 25, 2006), known professionally as Buck Owens, was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and band leader. He was the lead singer for Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, which had 21 No. 1 hits on t ...

Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Haggard was born in Oildale, California, toward the end of the Great Depression. His childhood was troubled ...

and others * Robert Mooney (1873–1953), Canadian politician *

Sean Mooney Sean Edmund Mooney (born May 21, 1959) is an American news anchor and former World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) play-by-play announcer. He now works as an anchor for KVOA, the NBC affiliate in Tucson, Arizona and the National Wrestling A ...

(born 1959), sports reporter and former WWF announcer * Shay Mooney (fl. 2010s–2020s), singer of country duo

Dan + Shay Dan or DAN may refer to: People * Dan (name), including a list of people with the name ** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark * Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa ** Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Iv ...

* Shona Mooney (born c. 1984), Scottish fiddler *

Ted Mooney Edward Comstock Mooney (October 19, 1951March 25, 2022) was an American novelist and short story writer. He published four novels: ''Easy Travel to Other Planets'' (1981), ''Traffic and Laughter'' (1990), ''Singing into the Piano'' (1998), and ' ...

(1951–2022), American author *

Thomas Mooney Thomas Joseph Mooney (December 8, 1882 – March 6, 1942) was an American political activist and Trade union, labor leader, who was convicted with Warren K. Billings of the San Francisco Preparedness Day Bombing of 1916. It quickly became appa ...

(1882–1942), American labour leader from San Francisco, California * Tim Mooney (1958–2012), American musician * Tom Mooney (rugby league) (born 1952), Australian rugby league footballer * Tommy Mooney (born 1971), professional football player * Tony Mooney (fl. 1970s–2010s), Australian politician *

Walter E. Mooney Walter E. Mooney (June 6, 1925 – March 1, 1990) was a MIT educated engineer, aircraft designer, pilot and model aircraft designer who lived in San Diego, California. He was well known professionally for his full scale aircraft efforts for Convair ...

(1925–1990), pilot and model aircraft designer

Fictional characters

*"Albert Mooney" is also a character in the Irish folk-song "

I'll Tell Me Ma "I'll Tell Me Ma" (also called "The Wind") is a traditional children's song. It was collected in various parts of the United Kingdom in the 19th century and again appears in collections from shortly after the turn of the 20th century. In Irela ...

References

{{surname Surnames of Irish origin

Origins

People with the surname

Fictional characters

See also

References