Meaney
A variant of the Irish surname Ó Maonaigh, meaning "descendant of Maonach," a personal name derived from "maon," meaning "wealth."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,262 Americans carry the last name Meaney. That puts it at #15,066 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.66 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 151,527 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Meaney surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.3K
1 in 151,527
Census rank
#15,066
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,958 bearers of the surname Meaney in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.66 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15066th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Meaney, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Meaney
The surname Meaney is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic name "Ó Máin" or "Ó Maidhne", which means "descendant of Máin". The name Máin is believed to be a pet form of the Irish personal name Mathghamhain, meaning "bear".
The name Meaney is thought to have originated in County Offaly, Ireland, where it is still most prevalent. The first recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century, with a reference to a Gillys O'Mayn in the Annals of Lough Cé in 1233.
In the Fiants of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the name is recorded as "O'Meyny" in 1585. The Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, also mentions the name "O'Mayne" in the 16th century.
The Meaney surname is also found in early records from County Laois, where it is spelled "O'Meana" or "O'Meaney". A notable early bearer of the name was Donnchadh Ó Meanaidh, who was the Bishop of Clonmacnoise from 1480 to 1512.
During the Plantation of Offaly in the 16th and 17th centuries, many Meaney families were displaced from their ancestral lands, leading to the spread of the name throughout Ireland and beyond.
Some notable individuals with the surname Meaney throughout history include:
1. Jeremiah F. Meaney (1853-1924), an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the United States House of Representatives.
2. John Meaney (born 1957), a British science fiction and fantasy author known for works such as "Paradox" and "Bone Song".
3. John Meaney (1916-1982), an American actor who appeared in films like "The Grapes of Wrath" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame".
4. Mary Meaney (1932-2008), an Irish stage and film actress who appeared in productions like "The Field" and "The Playboy of the Western World".
5. Thomas Meaney (1860-1935), an Irish-American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of San Jose, California, from 1899 to 1901.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Meaney
Among Census respondents with the surname Meaney, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Meaney bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Meaney surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.3%
- Hispanic or Latino2.6%
- Two or more races0.9%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
- Unknown or suppressed0.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Meaney surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,599 | #15,066 | -3.2% |
| Count | 1,870 | 1,958 | 4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.69 | 0.66 | -4.3% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Meaney bearers went from 1,870 to 1,958 (+4.7% change). The surname moved down 467 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,599 to #15,066.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Meaney
FAQ
Meaney surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Meaney?
The surname Meaney holds position #15,066 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 2,262 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.66 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Meaney surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Meaney, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (0.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.