The Penney surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,752 people carried this name — #5,982 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 51,300 people counted. That is up 2% from 5,659 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Penney surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Penny’.

An early record he cites: Hurtin Peni, Kent, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Penny, Penney, Penson and Pensom.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 596 · public domain.

In print

Penney in American newspapers,
1921–1929.

Newspaper page from Milford Chronicle carrying the name Penney
Milford Chronicle 1929-10-11
Newspaper page from The Daily Ardmoreite carrying the name Penney
The Daily Ardmoreite 1921-09-11
Newspaper page from Southern Christian Advocate carrying the name Penney
Southern Christian Advocate 1923-09-13

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Penney in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

7,686 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Penney. The most, 1,468, date from the 1870s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 3.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 3,776
Victoria 1,667
New South Wales 1,393
Queensland 320
Tasmania 222
Western Australia 213
ACT (Canberra) 78
Northern Territory 1

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

Who carried it

People named Penney,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Robert L. Penney
    Robert L. Penney 1848–1924 · politician
  • Robert L. Penney
    Robert L. Penney 1850–1924 · politician
  • James Cash Penney
    James Cash Penney 1875–1971 · entrepreneur
  • Arturo Penney
    Arturo Penney 1887–1946 · association football player
  • William Penney 1770–1830
  • William Penney, Lord Kinloch 1801–1872 · judge

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Penney,
in the records of 7 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 States772 records

772 records of the Penney name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 243
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 164
  • Other U.S. records 365
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Charles G. Penney

    Born 1914 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at New York City; auto mechanic from Nassau County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1979, buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

    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 Ellen Penney

    Arrived at New Orleans in 1850 aboard the Eliza Keith from Liverpool, aged 20; matron. From Ireland; bound for New Orleans.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Charles Otis Penney

    Born 1947; from Cleveland, Ohio. U.S. Army, armor crewman; killed in action 1968 in Hua Nghia, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 772 records for Penney in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). 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); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Canada541 records

541 records of the Penney name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 487
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 26
  • Other Canadian records 28
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Jack Dennis Penney

    Buried in 1997 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 63.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Herbert Roy Penney

    Died 1952 in South Side, Shelburne, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Matthew Penney

    Died in service in 1918.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 541 records for Penney in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Australia235 records

235 records of the Penney name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 88
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 60
  • Other Australian records 87
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record William James Penney

    Married 1862 in Brighton, Tasmania, aged 23. Died 1897 in Waratah, Tasmania, aged 58.

    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 William Penney

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Sir William Bensley, arriving 1817.

    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 Mary Penney

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Scargo, aged 40; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 235 records for Penney 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) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (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).

New Zealand19 records

19 records of the Penney name in New Zealand
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 9
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 7
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thelma Elizabeth Penney

    Died 1994, aged 74; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Herbert Saunders Penney

    Died 1972, aged 74; buried at Ruru Lawn, 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 Gwendolyn Elizabeth Penney

    Born 1914, died 1991; buried at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 19 records for Penney in New Zealand.

Counts: Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District 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).

United Kingdom12 records

12 records of the Penney name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 8
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 3
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Penney

    Buried in 1831 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 42.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Sealy Penney

    Will proved in 1922; of Llandudno, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record G. L. Penney

    Middlesex 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 12 records for Penney in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands4 records

4 records of the Penney name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 3
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record May Frederica Penney

    Died 1955 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 63.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Elizabeth Eleanor Penney

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born 1887 in Sheerness.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Norman Richard Penney

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born in Londen.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Penney in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France3 records

3 records of the Penney name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record William Henry Penney

    Born 1917 in Ireland; died 1999 in Uzès (Gard).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Suzanne Raymonde Penney

    Born 1903 in Paris; died 1976 in Montfermeil (Seine-Saint-Denis).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marion Elisabeth Renee Penney

    Born 1947 in Arras (Pas-de-Calais); died 1989 in Salouël (Somme).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Penney.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Penney 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 Penney volume
Scroll to Top