Feeney family name history and map

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Feeney in 1911 Ireland

The 1911 Census recorded 2,775 people named Feeney in Ireland, about 0.063% of everyone living in the country at the time and the 322nd most common surname overall. The name was split fairly evenly between men and women: 1,374 men and 1,400 women. (A small number, 1, had no sex recorded.)

Counties with Feeney in Ireland

Sligo had the largest share of Feeneys, 24.5% (681 people). Next came Galway (589), Roscommon (270), Mayo (259) and Leitrim (162).
Surname distribution map, 1911 census

Feeney average age in 1911

The average Feeney in 1911 was 29.5 years old, 29.7 for men and 29.3 for women; almost exactly in line with the national averages of 29.6 for men and 30.5 for women. That low figure reflects just how many children there were in Edwardian Ireland, along with high infant mortality and the limits of public health at the time. For comparison, average life expectancy in Ireland today is around 83.

Feeney literacy in 1911

Of the Feeneys whose literacy was recorded, 68.8% could both read and write, 4.3% could read but not write, and 26.8% could do neither. The figures were much the same for men and women. Bear in mind these figures include young children; the census itself only counted people aged nine and over when calculating illiteracy, on the grounds that it was unfair to label a child illiterate before they'd had a chance to learn.

Feeney common first names

The most common male names were John (202), Patrick, James, Michael and Thomas; the same five names that topped the list nationally. For women it was Mary (246), followed by Bridget, Margaret, Ellen and Catherine.

Feeney occupations in 1911

The most common entry on a Feeney's census form was "Scholar"; 22.5% (625) were children at school. Among the rest, the most common occupations were farmer (21.5%), farm labourer (3.6%), general labourer (3.4%) and domestic servant (1.7%). Grouped by sector, agriculture accounted for 25.6% of all Feeneys, followed by general labourers, domestic service and textiles & clothing.

What religion is Feeney?

Feeneys were overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, 96.3% of them. The remainder were mostly Anglican (0.8%), Presbyterian (0.5%) and Unitarian (0.2%).
Map showing where Roman Catholic families of this surname lived in Ireland, 1911 census

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Feeney statistics (1911)

Number: 2,775
Rank: 322
Average Age: 30

Feeney in the USA (2020)

Number: 9,252
Rank: 3,735

Note: If there were less than 100 in the USA census it will show as zero. 

Ref: feeney

Also see...

Feeny
353 people in 1911

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