Sweeney Name History
Sweeney Coat of Arms
Sweeney is a surname that, although closely associated with Ireland, is of Scottish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic Mac Suibhne (Mac Swiney) meaning "son of Suibhne." Some sources show Sweeney-related names Suibhne / Suibne / Uisseni in Ireland as early as 901 AD -903 AD.
The Gaelic first name, Suibhne, was originally a byname or nickname meaning "pleasant" or "well-disposed." The personal name was also used an equivalent to the unrelated Old Norse personal name Sveinn, meaning "boy" or "servant." In the United States, the surname Sweeney can also be an Americanization of the French surname Choinière. This French surname is derived from choin, meaning white, and probably originated as an occupational name for a baker.
The historian James Logan, in The Scottish Gaël, remarked how the Mac Swineys were notable for their hospitality. Variant spellings of the Irish surname Sweeney include Swine, Swiney, Swyne, Swyny, Whinney, Swiny, Swiney, Swinney, and many more.
More about Sweeney family crest and name history
The Sweeney history is long and storied in both Scotland and Ireland. We have two heirloom-quality products that provide detailed information on the Sweeney coat of arms and name.
- Framed Irish Family Name History
- Framed Irish Coat of Arms & Family History
We also carry many other products, including clothing, glassware, flags and more, all of which can be personalized with the Sweeney coat of arms and surname. Visit our Irish Coat of Arms page for great gift ideas.
Can I visit a Sweeney pub in Ireland?
You can do more than that, you can stay at the McSweeney Arms Hotel on College Street in Killarney, County Kerry, and enjoy their bar. Or, enjoy Sweeney's Strand Bar, Shop, and Post Office, Claddaghduff and Omey Strand, Connemara, County Galway. Other options include Sweeney's of Kilbride is in Priestown, Kilbride, County Meath and Nel Sweeneys & o2 Nightclub on Main Street, Gorey, in County Wexford.
Remember, if you can't visit in person, our personalized pub gifts are the next best thing!
Notable people named Sweeney
- Alison Sweeney, (born 1976), American, television actress
- Anne Sweeney, (born 1957), Co-Chair of Disney Media Networks and President of Disney-ABC Television Group
- Antony Sweeney, (born 1983), English, professional footballer
- Bill Sweeney (CEO), American politician
- Bill Sweeney (first baseman), (1904-1957), professional baseball player
- Bill Sweeney (ice hockey) (born 1937), Canadian, professional ice hockey player
- Bill Sweeney (infielder), (1886-1948), American, professional baseball player
- Bill Sweeney (pitcher), (died 1903), professional baseball player
- several people, Bob Sweeney
- Bob KO Sweeney, (1894-1961), American, boxer
- Bob Sweeney (ice hockey), (born 1964), American, professional ice hockey player
- Bob Sweeney (TV director and producer), (1918-1992) American, actor, director and producer
- Brian Sweeney, (born 1974), professional baseball player
- Brody Sweeney, Irish, entrepreneur
- Bruce Sweeney, Canadian, film director
- Calvin Sweeney, (born 1955), American, professional (American) football player
- Cate Sweeney, English author and playwright
- Ceri Sweeney, Welsh, rugby player
- Charles Sweeney, (1919-2004), American, USAAF pilot who dropped the atomic bomb "Fat Man" on Nagasaki
- Charlie Sweeney, (1863-1902), professional baseball player
- Ciaran Sweeney, Irish designer
- Claire Sweeney, (born 1971), English, actress and singer
- D. B. Sweeney, (born 1961), American, actor
- Daisy Sweeney, (born 1920), Canadian, music teacher
- Daren Sweeney, (born 1970), Montserratian cricketer
- Dennis Sweeney, protestor and civil rights activist
- Don Sweeney, (born 1966), Canadian, professional ice hockey player
- Ed Sweeney, (1888-1947), professional baseball player
- Eric Sweeney, (1903-1968)), English footballer
- Fionnuala Sweeney - an Irish anchorwoman and reporter for CNN International
- Francis E. Sweeney, American, politician
- George Sweeney (actor), British actor
- Hank Sweeney, (1915-1980), American, professional baseball player
- James Johnson Sweeney, (1900-1986), museum curator
- James Joseph Sweeney, (1898-1968), American, Roman Catholic Bishop
- Jamie Sweeney, British, actor
- Jim Sweeney (coach), American, college (American) football coach
- Jim Sweeney (comedian), (born 1955), English, actor and comedian
- Jim Sweeney (football player), 1962, American, professional (American) football player
- Joel Sweeney, (1810-1860), American, musician
- John E. Sweeney, (born 1955), American politician
- John Roland Sweeney, (1931-2001), Canadian, politician and educator
- John Sweeney (journalist), BBC journalist
- John Sweeney (labor leader), (born 1934), American president of AFL-CIO
- Joseph Sweeney (Irish politician), (1897-1980), Irish, politician
- Joseph Sweeney (actor), (1884-1963), American, actor
- Julia Sweeney - an American actress and comedian
- Justin Sweeney, (born 1987), Australian rules footballer
- Kevin Sweeney (American football), 1963, American, professional (American) football player
- Kevin Sweeney (consultant), author and consultant
- Kyle Sweeney, (born 1981), American, professional lacrosse player
- Larry Sweeney, (born 1981), American, professional wrestler
- Madeline Amy Sweeney, a flight attendant on board American Airlines flight 11
- Mark Sweeney, (born 1969), professional baseball player
- Martin L. Sweeney, (1885-1960), American, politician
- Mary Sweeney, American, film editor and film producer
- Matt Sweeney, musician
- Michelle Sweeney, Canadian, actor and musician
- Mike Sweeney (DJ), (born 1947), radio DJ
- Mike Sweeney (musician), American, musician
- Mike Sweeney (soccer), (born 1959), Canadian, soccer player
- Mike Sweeney, (born 1973), American, professional baseball player
- Monroe Sweeney, (1892-1950), American baseball umpire
- Neil Sweeney, (born 1977), Australian, professional rugby player
- Nigel Sweeney, barrister in the UK
- Patrick Sweeney (gunsmith), American, gunsmith and author
- Patrick Sweeney (rower), British, Olympic Games rower
- Peter Sweeney, (born 1984), Scottish, professional footballer
- Peter Sweeney (footballer), Early twenieth century Scottish-American professional footballer
- Randy Sweeney, (born 1956), American, research scientist
- Richard Joseph Mc Sweeney (Risteárd Seosamh Mac Suibhne) (born 1955), Irish, on the 13th May 2011 officially announced his candidacy for the 2011 Irish Presidential Election
- Robert Augustus Sweeney, (1853-1890), American, a two time recipient of the Medal of Honor
- Robert E. Sweeney, (1924-2007), American, politician
- Robert K. Sweeney, American, politician
- Ryan Sweeney, (born 1985), American, professional baseball player
- Shelley Sweeney, (born 1966), Canadian, actress
- Stephen M. Sweeney, (born 1959), American, politician
- Steve Sweeney, American, comedian
- Sylvia Sweeney, (born 1956), Canadian, journalist, television producer and Olympic athlete
- Terry Sweeney, (born 1969), American, writer, comedian and actor
- Tim Sweeney (game developer), game developer and founder of Epic Games
- Tim Sweeney (ice hockey), (born 1967), American, professional ice hockey player
- Walt Sweeney, (born 1941), American, professional American football player
- Walter Sweeney, (born 1949), British, politician
- Walter C. Sweeney, Jr., (born 1909), United States Air Force general
- William Sweeney (composer), (born 1950), Scottish, composer
- William N. Sweeney, (1832-1895), American, politician
- Zhaun Sweeney, (born 1979), Montserratian cricketer
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