Kearney Family History

Kearney Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Catharnaigh ‘descendant of Catharnach’ a personal name meaning ‘warlike’. Alternatively it may be from Ó Cearnaigh or Mac Cearnaigh (from cearnach ‘victorious’).

It may also originate from Ó Ceithearnaigh ‘descendant of Ceithearnach’ a personal name meaning ‘foot soldier’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Carney, Heagney, Keane, Harney, Kearns, Heaney, Karney, Keary, Keahey, Earney

607,000 record(s) for Kearney

212K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
29K	Military Records
49K	Immigration Records
145K	Census and Voter Lists
171K	Member Trees

Where is the Kearney family from?

You can see how Kearney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kearney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kearney families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 32 Kearney families living in New York. This was about 41% of all the recorded Kearney's in USA. New York had the highest population of Kearney families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kearney surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Kearney ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kearney. 13% of Kearney men worked as a Laborer and 9% of Kearney women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kearney were Clerk and Clerk.

We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Laborer

13%

Farmer

9%

Salesman

6%

Clerk

6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Teacher

9%

Stenographer

8%

Housewife

6%

Clerk

6%

What Kearney family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 145K census records available for the last name Kearney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kearney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Passenger List

There are 49K immigration records available for the last name Kearney. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

Military Records

There are 29K military records available for the last name Kearney. For the veterans among your Kearney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

What is the average Kearney lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Kearney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Kearney in 1944 was 27, and 75 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kearney ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.