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

Quaney, 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 Quaney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quaney in America

Quaney is the 139228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quaney surname appeared 120 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 Quaney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quaney 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 Quaney

The surname Quaney has its origins in the Gaelic language of Ireland. It is believed to have originated in the 12th century, derived from the Irish word 'cuanach' meaning 'sea-inlet' or 'harbour'. The name is thought to have been initially used as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a cove or small harbor along the Irish coastline.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Risteard Quaney, a landowner in County Kerry, Ireland, who is mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled in the 17th century. The Annals document Risteard's involvement in local disputes over land ownership in the year 1378.

The surname Quaney can also be traced back to the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property holdings in England and Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as 'Quiney' and 'Quynie', suggesting that some bearers of the name may have migrated from Ireland to England during the Norman conquest.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Quaney was Thomas Quaney, a merchant and ship owner from the coastal town of Kinsale, County Cork. Records indicate that Quaney played a significant role in the town's thriving maritime trade during the latter part of the century.

Another historical figure of note was Eibhlín Quaney, a celebrated Irish poet and songwriter who lived in County Clare in the 18th century. Her compositions, often written in the Irish language, were widely renowned and helped preserve the rich tradition of Irish folk music and literature.

In the 19th century, John Quaney, a surveyor and civil engineer from County Mayo, made significant contributions to the construction of Ireland's expanding railway network. His work on various rail projects across the country earned him a reputation as a skilled and innovative engineer.

As the name Quaney spread across Ireland and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, including Quiney, Quainey, and Queeney. These variations can be found in historical records and documents from different regions, reflecting the diversity of the name's origins and its adaptation to local dialects and pronunciation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quaney

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

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 Quaney 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 Quaney 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 Quaney was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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