Mac Suibhne

The Gaelic surname Mac Suibhne is a patronymic form of Suibhne and means "son of Suibhne".[1] The personal name Suibhne means "pleasant".[2]

Anglicised forms of Mac Suibhne include: McSeveney,[3] McSeveny,[3] McSween,[4] McSweeney,[5] McSweeny,[5] McSwiney,[5] Sweaney,[6] Sween,[7] Sweeney,[6] Sweenie,[6] Sweeny,[6] Sweney,[8] Swiney,[9] Swinney,[10] A lenited variant form of Mac Suibhne is Mac Shuibhne.[2] Anglicised forms of the latter Gaelic name include: (possibly) Mawhinney,[11] McQueen,[12] McQueeney,[12] McQueenie,[12] (possibly) McWhinney,[11] Queen,[13] Queeney,[13] Wheen.[14]

One particular family that has borne the surname Mac Suibhne is Clann Suibhne. Members of this Scottish family settled in Ulster as gallowglass warriors in the Middle Ages.[6]