Hennessey
An Irish surname, usually understood as meaning “descendant of the descendant of Ó hAonghusa,” ultimately tied to the personal name Aonghus (Angus).
The #4,245 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 36,945 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hennessey is an anglicized Irish surname. It is generally associated with the Gaelic name Ó hAonghusa, meaning “descendant of Aonghus,” a personal name commonly rendered in English as Angus. The English spelling has been reshaped over time to reflect Irish pronunciation, which is why several forms beginning with Henn- and Hines- can be found in records.
History
The name is especially associated with Ireland and Irish diaspora communities, where it appears in a number of anglicized spellings. In older English-language records, the surname often varies widely in spelling because clerks wrote down Irish names phonetically. Bowditch’s 1861 list treats Hennessey simply as one of many surnames grouped by sound, which fits its history as a name with flexible English renderings.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Hennessy and Hennessey are close spelling variants of the same Irish surname, and the famous cognac brand name is unrelated to the surname’s Irish clan history.
From the historical record
“Hennebry, 436. Hennepin, 71. Hennessey, 436. Henney, 203. Henning, 203. Henns, 203. Henny, 203. Henrick, 459.”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)