Title: History of the surname Cooney
Headings: Cooney – descendants of an elegant chief
Cooney – descendants of an elegant chief
Virtue is the only nobility
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Notable Cooneys
Famous Cooneys
Variations of the Cooney surname
Video histories of popular Irish names
Irish Names

Content: This means that Cooneys are highly likely to be descended from an elegant chief. There is another theory that the surname comes from the personal name ‘Cuan’ which means ‘little wolf’. This would mean the Cooneys are descended from a wolf-like chief. However, it is a more widely held belief that the name comes from the word meaning ‘elegant’. Virtue is the only nobility
There are several variations to the surname including Coonan, Coonahan and Coonifer. See the end of the article for a list of variations to the Cooney surname. The Cooney coat of arms features a hand (which signifies faith, sincerity and justice), an arrow (which symbolises that they are ready for battle) and is set on a green background which signifies hope, joy and loyalty in love. The motto of the clan is ‘Virtue is the only Nobility’. The Cooney clan first originated in Co Tyrone before the 11th century. Over the years they migrated to Co Roscommon and Co Sligo.