Surname Moonie - Meaning and Origin
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Moonie: What does the surname Moonie mean?
The last name Moonie is of Scottish origin and derives from the Old English name "Munin," meaning "the one who is remembered." It might have originally been used as a nickname for a wise or reflective person. The surname was first found in Fife County in Scotland where members of this family resided for centuries holding estates and lands. Many families with this surname emigrated to America, Canada, and Australia in the 19th and 20th centuries. There have been various spellings of the surname throughout history, including Moneypenny, Monypenny, Monipennie, Monypenie, Moneyfeeny, Monifeith, and many others. In modern times, the name "Moonie" is often associated with a member of the Unification Church, due to a slang term that emerged in the 1970s. Overall, the Moonie surname is quite rare today.
Order DNA origin analysisMoonie: Where does the name Moonie come from?
The last name Moonie is most commonly found in the UK and Ireland. It is thought to be of Irish origin with some English influence. The name was originally spelled O'Muinaidh, which means ‘descendant of the little hound’ in Irish. It has since been anglicised to O’Monye, Money, Monie and, of course, Moonie.
The majority of the Moonie family come from an ancient Gaelic dynasty, which began in Scotland and the north of Ireland, but many emigrated to North America, Australia and New Zealand during the 19th century. Today, there are significant numbers of Moonies in England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland.
The Moonie family is widely spread in Scotland, with concentrations found in Dumfriesshire, Wigtownshire, Kirkcudbrightshire and Berwickshire. It is also common in North East England where it can be found in Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire and Cumbria.
Today, the Moonie name is still fairly common both in Britain and Ireland, and is still pronounced in the same way. It is also one of the few surnames that is found in both the Irish and Scottish clans. As a result of their heritage, many of those who bear the name Moonie still display clan loyalty and are quick to take the name when joining a clan or family gathering.
Variations of the surname Moonie
The surname Moonie is derived from the Irish or Gaelic name Muinnigh, which means “descendant of Munn”. It is an anglicized form of the original Gaelic name, and is one of a few alternate spellings of this surname. Variants of this name include: O’Munighe, Mongey, Miunigh, and Mongey. It may also be found as Monaghan or Munnaughan. Additional spellings include: Humyngye, Moonige, Monnye, Moony, and Murie.
Surnames belonging to this same origin include: Monaghan, Mannix, Mannock, Monahan, Monnagh, Monaham, Monahan, Monahay, Monophy, Monail, Munner, Moonagh, Monnett, Monigoly, and Monahan.
Originally, the name Moonie was derived from a personal name – in this case Muinnigh – who was the progenitor of the clan. As Gaelic surnames were passed down over generations, they often changed in spelling or pronunciation. This gave rise to the many variants of the same origin surname.
The Moonie surname is found primarily in the counties of Donegal, Monaghan, and Ulster in Ireland. The 1881 British Census recorded 373 people in England and Wales with this surname. The same census also records 24 individuals in Scotland. The surname Moonie is also found in the United States, particularly in counties in the Midwest and Western regions.
Overall, the Moonie surname is relatively rare, but there are several distinct variations, spellings, and surnames of the same origin associated with this surname originating from the Gaelic name.
Famous people with the name Moonie
- Chris Moonie: British Member of Parliament from 1992 to 2001.
- Lawrence Moonie: British Member of Parliament from 1997 until 2010.
- Edwina Moonie: American actress, singer and comedian.
- Garry Moonie: Australian restaurateur and chef.
- Henry Moonie: British Member of Parliament from 1983 until 1992.
- Aaron Moonie: Canadian professional soccer player.
- Mary Moonie: American musician, songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist.
- Ruth Moonie: American artist, playwright and oil painter.
- Timothy Moonie: American folk singer, guitarist and songwriter.
- Tom Moonie: Canadian coach, hockey executive and executive vice-president of the Vancouver Canucks NHL team.