LOONEY tribes around the world

Stay informed about LOONEY Family online & offline events!

See our recent family gatherings

MEET
LEARN
SHOP

LOONEY Family History

Recorded in many spellings which are all loosely inter-related and including O'Looney, O'Lunney, Looney, O'Loonan, Loonan, Loonane, Lowney, Lunnen and Lunan, this is an Irish surname. The development is from the pre 10th century Gaelic O'Luanaigh or O' Luanain, both having the meaning of the "descendant of Luan", a personal name meaning the hound, and as such originally a nickname for a fast runner. There were originally two septs in Ireland, one belonging to the Munster counties of Cork, Kerry and Clare, and the other as Loonan, Loonane, and Lunan, to County Waterford, and also occasionally County Donegal. Lowney, a form of Looney is popular in the Castletownbere region of West Cork...

Who have we missed?

Tell us about any famous LOONEY (or surname variant) you think we should add here. We will get our genealogists to check them out and add them to the list. Thanks!

MEET

Join the conversation with the LOONEY tribe

Find your LOONEY ancestor
Tell us about your LOONEY Family
Tell us about your LOONEY ancestors
Ask a question about the LOONEY history
Leave a message for LOONEY family members

Trixie Briscoe

My mother's father, my maternal grandfather, was John Looney. He married my mother's mother after her first husband died - flu epidemic? - He was, i think unusually, a nurse in a TB hospital. He played violin, Kathleen Looney, his new wife, played accordion. Lived in Macroom, Co. Cork. Kathleen had several children. By her first husband, a son who went into the priesthood and a daughter, Eileen who became a nun - Str St. Dympna, who taught in London at a girl's school, Virgo Fidelis. There was also Mary and the youngest, my mother, Philomena who were, as I understand it, issue of the remarriage of Kathleen. My mother came to England in the late 1940s. Married in the 1950s & had 3 children, of whom I am the youngest.

Shirley Looney

My ancestor was Robert Looney Supposedly Migrated to Philadelphia circa 1732. He may have been a Quaker. His movements in America followed th migration of the Quakers. His was Elizabeth (Llewellyn). He had several sons and daughters. He died in Augusta (now Botetourt ) Co. Va circa1758. I want to confirm he came from Isle of Mann , and any information on his family.

Phillip W Wilson

My maternal grandfather was Albert LOONEY Phillips. Died in the Spanish flu pandemic in 1920, just before my his daughter (my mother) was born. His wife, my maternal grandmother, was Martha Irel Thornton (who later married John Oliver Burnette). Mother was named partly for HIM: Martha ALBERT Phillips, and my first name is from the surname of my grandfather : PHILLIP(s). searching for ALBERT LOONEY PHILLIPS has directed me to several dead ends. Is anyone able to provide me with a lead to his back story ???????

Phillip W Wilson

Looney

Elizabeth Luney, Born June 1725, in County Cork, Ireland. Died Sep. 14, 1897, in Newport, Rhode Island. Thanks!

Medina Daniel

Grandad Jeremiah Looney left Ireland, for studies in England,late 1920s early 1930s? Studied the ponies more than the books. Married an English woman, and was left out of the good graces of the family. I do know that my dad, who immigrated to the US in the mid 60s was welcomed by the family during WWII, but not much history has been passed down. Jeremiah's father was a published poet, though I haven't been able to get his name. I am first born American of English born parents, both 1/2 English 1/2 Irish. Looney and Coffey.

Trish

My great grandfather Michael Looney came to Australia when he was 19. His parents were Michael Looney and Catherine O'Brien.