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

Sweeny, 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 Sweeny surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sweeny in America

Sweeny is the 12362nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sweeny surname appeared 2,515 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Sweeny.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sweeny 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 Sweeny

The surname Sweeny is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "Ó Suanaigh" or "O'Sweeney". It originated in County Donegal, Ireland, and can be traced back to the 10th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic word "suanach", meaning "peaceable" or "tranquil".

Historically, the Sweeneys were a prominent family in the Donegal region, holding lands and wielding significant influence. One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a medieval chronicle that mentions the death of Maolmuire O'Sweeny, a chieftain of the O'Sweeny clan, in 1199.

The Sweeneys played a notable role in the Gaelic resistance against English colonization in the 16th and 17th centuries. Niall Garbh O'Sweeny (c.1587-1623), a renowned military leader, led his clan in several battles against the English forces. His exploits are chronicled in the Irish manuscript "Beatha Aodha Ruaidh Uí Dhomhnaill" (The Life of Red Hugh O'Donnell).

In the 17th century, another prominent figure, Turlough O'Sweeny (c.1600-1648), was a Catholic priest and historian who wrote the "Descripton of the County of Donegal". This work provides valuable insights into the history and culture of the region during that period.

The name Sweeny has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Sweeny's Cross in County Donegal, which derives its name from the Sweeny clan's influence in the area.

Other notable individuals with the Sweeny surname include:

1. John Sweeny (1821-1899), an Irish-American politician and businessman who served as the first Catholic mayor of St. Louis, Missouri.
2. Robert Sweeny (1853-1909), an American baseball player and manager, considered one of the pioneers of the game.
3. Joseph Sweeny (1904-1968), an American labor leader and president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters from 1952 to 1957.
4. Anne Sweeny (1919-2005), an American author and screenwriter known for her work on the television series "The Waltons".
5. Stephen Sweeny (1966-present), an Irish actor and director known for his roles in films such as "Michael Collins" and "The Commitments".

While the Sweeny surname has evolved over time and spread across various regions, its roots can be traced back to the historic Gaelic clan in County Donegal, Ireland, where it has left an indelible mark on the region's cultural and historical landscape.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sweeny

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Sweeny, 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!