The Heaney surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,197 people carried this name — #7,888 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 70,400 people counted. That is up 7% from 3,928 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Heaney surname

Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó hÉighnigh (“descendant of Éighneach”), or an Anglicized form of Ó hÉanna (“descendant of Éanna”), a personal name of unclear origin, possibly containing the element éan (“bird”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Heaney» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 56 births for the Heaney name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 2,500 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 17 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 32
Leinster 18
Connacht 4
Munster 2

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Scotland’s registers today

Heaney was recorded 13 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1564th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 29. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Heaney in American newspapers,
1893–1913.

Newspaper page from The Chickasha Daily Express carrying the name Heaney
The Chickasha Daily Express 1913-09-22
Newspaper page from Wadsworth Semi-weekly Dispatch carrying the name Heaney
Wadsworth Semi-weekly Dispatch 1904-02-23
Newspaper page from The Wilmington Daily Republican carrying the name Heaney
The Wilmington Daily Republican 1893-05-02

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 11,725 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Heaney in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

10,268 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Heaney. The most, 1,797, date from the 1930s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Northern Territory, at 5.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 4,129
New South Wales 2,482
Western Australia 1,225
South Australia 1,156
Queensland 762
Tasmania 217
ACT (Canberra) 118
Northern Territory 82

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Heaney.

Who carried it

People named Heaney,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Noble Sproat Heaney
    Noble Sproat Heaney 1880–1955 · gynecologist
  • Thomas Heaney
    Thomas Heaney 1888–1928 · Australian rules football player
  • Seamus Heaney
    Seamus Heaney 1939–2013 · actor
  • Frank Heaney 1886–1937 · association football player
  • Charles Heaney 1897–1981 · artist
  • Patrick Heaney 1909–

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 46 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Heaney,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,548 records

1,548 records of the Heaney name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 776
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 193
  • Other U.S. records 579
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record James B. Heaney

    Born 1917 in Vermont. Enlisted 1942 at Salt Lake City, Utah; transport worker. U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II; died 1965, buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James Heaney

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Chicago from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 30; laborer. From Co. Cork, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. A U.S. Army record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864
    Example: U.S. burial record, 1864
    Burial record James John Heaney

    U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War. Born 1935, died 2001; buried at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 1,548 records for Heaney in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864, U.S. National Archives (public domain).

Australia416 records

416 records of the Heaney name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 172
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 106
  • Other Australian records 138
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Alexander Heaney

    Died 1921 in Zeehan, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1921.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Thomas Heaney

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Prince of Orange, arriving 1821; ticket of leave 1831. Native of Ireland.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Alfred Heaney

    Arrived in Victoria in 1910 aboard the Marathon, aged 30.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 416 records for Heaney in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada31 records

31 records of the Heaney name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 9
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 8
  • Other Canadian records 14
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Heaney

    Came to Ontario in 1872 aboard the Hibernian, landing at Quebec, bound for New Lowell, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Thomas Francis Heaney

    Buried in 1988 at St. Mary's Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 71.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Patrick Heaney

    Died 1938 in Digby, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 31 records for Heaney in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom13 records

13 records of the Heaney name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 10
  • Stirling Council burial records 2
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Hugh Heaney

    Buried in 1962 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 73.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Stephen Heaney

    Buried in 1835 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 55.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. F. Heaney

    King's (Liverpool Regiment). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Heaney in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Ireland10 records

10 records of the Heaney name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sarah Heaney

    Died 1963, aged 66; buried at Toreena, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Heaney

    Died 1927, aged 84; buried at Cortoon, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Bridget Heaney

    Died 1908, aged 88; buried at Ballinakill, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Heaney in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Heaney name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Esther May Heaney

    Died 1988, aged 77; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Daniel Heaney

    Died 1948, aged 54; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles Michael Heaney

    Died 1997, aged 62; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Heaney in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Heaney.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Heaney is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Heaney volume
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