Loney
An Irish surname usually linked to a family or place name connected with O'Looney/Looney, though some later English usage may reflect other surnames or forms.
The #9,023 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 85,195 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The strongest historical evidence links Loney to Irish forms such as O'Looney and Looney, which were recorded as surname variants in older sources. These ultimately belong to the Gaelic naming tradition, where the prefix O' means 'descendant of.' Some writers also note a possible separate English use of Loney as a shortened or altered form of other names, but the Irish connection is the clearest line of descent.
History
Historical references place the O'Looneys among the families of Tyrone, and later records show spellings such as Loweny, Lownie, Looney, and Loney. In Manx records, Loney appears as a surname form by the 17th century, suggesting a spread through Irish and Insular Gaelic communities. The modern U.S. distribution likely reflects later migration from Ireland and the British Isles.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One Manx source lists a chain of spellings from M'Lawney in 1504 to Loney in 1681, showing how fluid surnames could be over time.
From the historical record
“O Itiim^, O'Looney, Luny, Lunney, Lonney, Loney, Looney, Loony. 0 bumin, Lunneen, Lineen, Lin- neen, Linnen, Lennon ; Leon- ard ; Linnegar, Lynegar.”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames