Rooney
An Irish surname meaning “the red one,” from a Gaelic nickname for someone with reddish hair or complexion.
The #2,156 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 18,353 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Rooney is generally explained from Irish Gaelic ruanaidh, meaning “red” or “reddish,” used as a nickname. The surname is often linked with older Gaelic forms such as Ó Ruanaidh or related spellings, giving the sense of “descendant of the red-haired one” or simply “the red one.” Earlier sources sometimes vary in the exact Gaelic spelling, but the color-based meaning is consistent.
History
The name is long established in Ireland and was recorded in historical Irish surname collections and county lists. It also appears in Manx tradition and place-names, showing that the name or a related saintly form was known in the Isle of Man as well. In English-language records, Rooney became a common anglicized spelling alongside older forms like Roney and Rooneen.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One Manx tradition even Latinized Rooney as “Runius” in connection with a parish saint.
From the historical record
“charter a.d. 958. ROONEY (Celt.) the Red [Ir. Ruamidh {dh mute) — ruanaidh, red, reddish : cp. Mul- rooney] ROOPE = Rope, q.v. ROOFER = Roper, q.v., when it does not represent the Dut. roeper (pron. rooper), a crier. ROoIe } (^--Fr-Lat.) a form of Rous(e, q.v.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)