Find out how popular the last name Devenny is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Devenny.

Devenny, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Devenny surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Devenny in America

Devenny is the 50851st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Devenny surname appeared 410 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Devenny.

We can also compare 2010 data for Devenny to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Devenny

The surname DEVENNY originated in Ireland, stemming from the Gaelic name 'O'Duibhne', meaning 'descendant of Duibhne'. Duibhne was a personal name derived from the Irish word 'dubh', meaning 'dark' or 'black'. The name was first found in the county of Donegal, where the family held a prominent position in the Gaelic kingdom of Tír Chonaill.

Records from the 16th century indicate that the DEVENNY surname was also found in County Roscommon, where it was anglicized from the Irish 'O'Duibhne'. The earliest known bearer of the name was Fergal O'Duibhne, a chieftain who lived in the late 12th century and was renowned for his military prowess.

The DEVENNY name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. This text records the exploits of several members of the O'Duibhne clan, including Aodh O'Duibhne, who died in 1303 after leading a rebellion against the Norman invaders.

In the 17th century, the name was anglicized to various spellings, including DEVENNY, DEVENEY, and DEVANY. One notable bearer was Cornelius DEVENNY (1632-1711), a Catholic priest who was imprisoned for his faith during the reign of King William III.

During the 18th century, the DEVENNY name spread to other parts of Ireland, particularly County Tyrone and County Fermanagh. John DEVENNY (1745-1823), a merchant from Enniskillen, was a prominent figure in the linen trade and helped establish the town's prosperity.

In the 19th century, many DEVENNYs immigrated to America and other English-speaking countries, seeking new opportunities. One notable figure was Michael DEVENNY (1857-1931), a successful businessman and philanthropist who founded the DEVENNY Trust in New York City to support educational initiatives.

Throughout its history, the DEVENNY surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, clergymen, merchants, and scholars. While the name may have evolved in its spelling and pronunciation over time, it remains a testament to the rich cultural heritage of Ireland and the enduring legacy of the O'Duibhne clan.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Devenny

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Devenny.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Devenny was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Devenny has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Devenny was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Devenny, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!