Suibhne Surname History

Are you constantly spelling your name when you introduce yourself?
Does your family oral tradition say you're Irish, but not much else?
Have you ever wondered why there aren't any Irish traditions in your family?
Do you wonder why your name isn't spelled "Sweeney" like everybody else?

If so, you've come to the right place!

A note on Spelling

The Gaelic surname "Suibhne" (derived from the Clann tSuibhne of Ireland and Scotland) was a real challenge to the spelling skills of early American record keepers. My own ggggrandfather Anderson had his surname spelled four different ways in four consecutive censuses. 1850 Swinny, 1860 Swinney, 1870 Sweeny, 1880 Swiney. So if you were born in the USA - whether you are a Swinney, Swinny, Swiney, Swinea, Swinnea, Swenney, Sweney, or Sweny - you are probably a descendant of the early "Suibhne" migrations of the 17^th and 18^thcenturies. (A note for "Sweeney" visitors) Sometimes spelling can be a clue to pronunciation patterns and lineage, but often it just reflects the spelling preferences and attention to detail of the census taker. I have chosen to preserve the original spellings as much as possible in the resources I offer here, but where I have excerpted other research I have not had that opportunity. The "Swinea" and "Sweeney" documents on this site are (as far as I have been able to determine) drawn from the same mosaic of spellings that I have encountered. To avoid the same pitfall, I use the name "Suibhne" when I refer generally to the various family groups in the USA rather than converting all my historical references to "Swinney".

Ancient History

The Clann tSuibhne descends from the Irish High King Niall of the Nine Hostages (4^th and 5^th century). Two of his sons assumed power in the North in areas which adopted their names: Tír Connell and Tír Eoin. Families descended from them are known as the Northern Úa Niall and include the O'Neills, O'Donnells, the Suibhnes and others.
A few centuries later, around the turn of the last millenium, the clan moved to Scotland over a dispute regarding a Kingship succession. The clan prospered in Scotland, gaining lands in Cowal and Knapdale in Argyle and building Castle Sween on Lough Sween. The clan kept up their Irish ties through marriage and (after backing the wrong side at Bannockburn when Robert the Bruce assumed the throne in Scotland) largely returned to Ireland.
The trail gets a little fuzzy here. Several family histories cite "Ireland" as the native land for their earliest ancestor. Several Edmund "Suibhne" males are noted in Ireland, and Edmund is a recurring name among various "Suibhne" branches in the USA. But I have no documentation prior to 1800 indicating Ireland as the emigration point for early Suibhne groups.

Early Immigration to the Americas

There were comparatively few "Suibhne" immigrants to the early colonies. I continue to update my list of information on early immigrants and am actively seeking any additional references or sources on the subject.
(This section also includes census, will, and land grant information on various "Suibhne" branches. Most of my information so far comes from the Southern region since this is where my line runs.)

I have also included a variety of links to "Suibhne" related genealogy information on other sites. Some of these pages have only a bit of connected information, while others contain a wealth of information. Just wander around and have a look. If you would like further information on the origins of the Clan, visit the Sweeney Clan web site. Their books are a great source of ancient and more recent Suibhne and Sweeney history. The pamphlets they offer are reasonably priced, but if you only order one, I recommend "The Sweeneys: Fanad, Doe, Banagh International" edited by J. P. Sweeney.