Map of Ireland showing where the Mckinney arms are recorded
The Mckinney arms were recorded in Dublin, c. 1645.
Dublin was the seat of government in Ireland and the place where grants were sought and recorded. Families with business at the castle or the courts settled nearby, and settling there put their arms on record.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Ireland in this period.
Charles I of England
Sovereign of the period
Charles I of England
1625–1649
Reigning in Ireland when the Mckinney arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Ireland
The Ulster King of Arms granted coats of arms to individuals who proved their social standing and good character. These symbols were typically inherited by all legitimate descendants of the original holder. If a family branch wanted a unique look, they could apply for a specific change to their design through the office to ensure their identity remained distinct.
Granting authority
The Ulster King of Arms acted as the official body that regulated and issued all coats of arms throughout Ireland.
How they got arms
Families obtained their arms through formal grants issued by the office after proving their eligibility and paying the required fees.
Where arms were recorded
All official grants were recorded in the registers held by the Ulster King of Arms starting from the year 1552.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Dublin.
Origin & History of the Mckinney Family in Ireland
The surname McKinney is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name Mac Cionnaith, which translates to son of Cionnaith. The name Cionnaith itself is thought to mean born of fire or fire-sprung. While the family has deep roots in the northern regions of Ireland, historical records confirm that members of the McKinney family were established in Dublin by 1645. During this period, Dublin was a center of significant political and social change, and families with this name were often involved in the city's growing trade and administrative sectors. As the name spread from its ancestral lands in Ulster to the capital, it became a fixture of Irish urban life, reflecting the broader migration patterns of families moving toward the economic opportunities available in the seventeenth century.
Mckinney Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Mac Cionaoith
Son of Cionaoith, a name derived from fire or wisdom.
This name
MckinneyA patronymic surname meaning descendant of the son of the wise one.
also spelled
McKenney
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History, 1946
MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland, 1985
National Archives of Ireland, Civil Survey of the County of Dublin, 1654
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
