Blaney — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: O Blathnaigh
Meaning: from blath, 'flower' or 'blossom'
Traditional stronghold: Monaghan
Pronunciation: BLAY-nee
History of the Blaney name
Blaney takes its meaning from blath, 'flower', and the family were established in Monaghan as part of the Oriel septs of south Ulster. The name also became linked, unrelatedly, to the Plantation-era Blayney family of English origin who were granted the barony of Monaghan and gave their name to the town of Castleblayney, creating some confusion between the Gaelic Blaney and the settler Blayney in local records. The Gaelic form nonetheless persisted independently and Monaghan remains its main stronghold.
Variants: Blayney · Blaine · MacBlaney
Famous bearers of the name
- Neil Blaney — Donegal-born Fianna Fail politician and minister, central figure in the 1970 Arms Crisis
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Connolly · Duffy · McMahon · McKenna · McCabe · O'Gorman · Traynor · McArdle