COONEY SURNAME PROJECT- Background

Background

In the census of 1659 the name "Cooney" is found as the principal surname of County Clare in Ireland. By the mid 1800's the name Cooney is found in all Irish counties with the highest concentrations in County Cavan (100 households), County Tipperary (84), County Clare (71), and County Mayo (40). Today there are few if any Cooney's left in Cavan where the Cooney (Peter Cooney born in 1809) my family associates with is from.

From the historical record The O'Cooney (O'Cuana in Irish) family is first found in the north of Ireland in County Tyrone. O'Cooney (or O'Cuanaich) was a clan of Tir Owen in the 12th Century. The most famous member of the clan was Diarmid O'Cuana, who is described as "the Great Priest of Elphin" They were next found in the town of Ballycooney in County Galway. Other names were changed into Cooney such as Counihan and Coumey.