Show ContentsMcInerney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The many Irish surnames in use today have long rich histories behind them. The name McInerney originally appeared in Gaelic as Mac an Airchinnigh, which means son of the erenagh. The word erenagh refers to a steward of church lands. This was originally an ecclesiastical task, but was later performed by laymen, becoming a hereditary trade. [1]

Early Origins of the McInerney family

The surname McInerney was first found in County Clare (Irish: An ClĂĄr) located on the west coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where the MacInerny variant prevails.

The McEneany variant is "the name of two septs. That Co. Roscommon is almost extinct; that of Oriel is numerous under many variants. A study of this name which appeared in the Clogher Record (1960) presents evidence (which I have verified elsewhere) to prove that its Irish form is not the generally accepted Mac Conaonaigh but Mac an Dhéaghanaigh, earlier Mac an Déaganaigh." [1]

"MacAneany, also written MacEneany and sometimes MacNeany, was changed to Bird by some families in County Monaghan, Louth and Meath." [2]

Early History of the McInerney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McInerney research. Another 214 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1365, 1393, 1398 and 1659 are included under the topic Early McInerney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McInerney Spelling Variations

Irish names recorded during the Middle Ages are characterized by many spelling variations. This preponderance of variations for common names can be explained by the fact that the scribes and church officials that kept records during that period individually decided how to capture one's name. These recorders primarily based their decisions on how the name was pronounced or what it meant. Research into the name McInerney revealed many variations, including MacInerny, MacInerney, Nerney, Kinnerk, Nerheny, Nertney, Nirney, McNertney, MacNertney, MacNerney and many more.

Early Notables of the McInerney family

More information is included under the topic Early McInerney Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McInerney Ranking

In the United States, the name McInerney is the 8,906th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [3] However, in Australia, the name McInerney is ranked the 894th most popular surname with an estimated 4,387 people with that name. [4]


United States McInerney migration to the United States +

Many Irish families boarded ships bound for North America in the middle of 19th century to escape the conditions of poverty and racial discrimination at that time. Although these immigrants often arrived in a destitute state, they went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. An inquiry into many immigration and passenger lists has revealed many early immigrants to North America bearing the McInerney family name:

McInerney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Martin McInerney, who landed in New York in 1853 [5]

Canada McInerney migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McInerney Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Miss. Catherine McInerney, aged 5 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Jessie" departing from the port of Limerick, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 [6]
  • Miss. Daniel McInerney, aged 30 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Ellen Simpson" departing from the port of Limerick, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in September 1847 [6]
  • Miss. Mary McInerney, aged 2 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Argo" departing 4th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 12th June 1847 but she died on board [7]
  • Mr. Thomas McInerney, aged 64 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Anna Maria" departing 3rd July 1847 from Limerick, Ireland; the ship arrived on 11th August 1847 but he died on board [7]

Australia McInerney migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

McInerney Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Dennis McInerney, aged 20, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Sir Edward Parry" [8]
  • James McInerney, aged 46, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Sir Edward Parry" [8]
  • James McInerney, aged 18, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Sir Edward Parry" [8]
  • Patrick McInerney, aged 24, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Sir Edward Parry" [8]
  • Mary McInerney, aged 22, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Sir Edward Parry" [8]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand McInerney migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

McInerney Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Thomas McInerney, aged 29, a farm labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oxford" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name McInerney (post 1700) +

  • Ryan McInerney (b. 1976), American President of Visa Inc
  • Vice Admiral Francis X. McInerney (1899-1956), American naval officer, eponym of the USS McInerney (FFG-8), an Oliver Hazard Perry class guided-missile frigate
  • Nick McInerney (b. 1897), American football player who played eight seasons for the Chicago Cardinals (1920-1927)
  • Bernie McInerney (b. 1936), American character actor
  • Thomas G. McInerney (b. 1937), retired United States Air Force Lieutenant General
  • John "Jack" McInerney (b. 1992), American soccer player
  • John Barrett McInerney Jr. (b. 1955), American writer
  • Joan A. McInerney, American politician, Independent Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1976 [9]
  • James J. McInerney, American Democratic Party politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Kings County 3rd District, 1899-1903 [9]
  • Gary J. McInerney (b. 1948), American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 5th District, 1984 [9]
  • ... (Another 24 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Thomas McInerney (d. 1912), aged 38, English Fireman/Stoker from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking [10]


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, Supplement to Irish Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Book Company, 1964. Print.
  2. MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  5. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  6. Charbonneau, AndrĂ©, and Doris Drolet-DubĂ©. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 45)
  7. Charbonneau, AndrĂ©, and Doris Drolet-DubĂ©. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 88)
  8. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The SIR EDWARD PARRY 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849SirEdwardParry.htm
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  10. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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