MacSwiney Family Crest and Last Name Background

Arms linked to McSwiney and its spellings were granted to individual families; our heraldry team traces which line they belonged to.

Meaning of the name

MacSwiney belongs to the McSwiney family of names, which has Irish roots. The family name meaning is “The son of Suibhne (good going)”, the same as for McSwiney.

Before spelling was fixed, McSwiney was also written MacSwiney. Census takers and immigration officers often wrote what they heard. Names that sound alike, such as MacSweeney and McSweeney, are easily confused in old records.

Research your MacSwiney family history with a full surname report and painted coat of arms.