Pictured: Mary Elizabeth Gieseman Oney (1864-1951) and Benjamin Franklin Oney (1856-1928). Picture taken in front of their home in Wellington, Ohio abt. 1926. Photo Source: The collection of Charles Oney
The Oney's
The first family surname I should highlight here should perhaps be the Oney family surname as it is my surname. But, as it turns out, I am only a fourth generation Oney. My great grandfather was Elmer Oney but his biological father was James Franklin Walsh. He was raised by his stepfather, Benjamin Franklin Oney and always used the Oney surname, though no formal adoption exists. I am related to a handful of Oney’s, but most of them are “half” relations. As far as I can tell, the only living Oney’s that I am full blooded related to are my father and my son.
My nearest Oney ancestor would be, of course, my father, Lee Oney. My furthest Oney ancestor I have traced back to would be my great grandfather, Elmer Oney (1886-1947). Since Elmer’s father was James Walsh, I have no ties further back in the Oney branch. Charles and Earnest Oney have traced back my line of Oney’s back to Thomas Oney (1678-1737) in England though.
It appears that from my branch of the Oney’s, the first Oney to come to the United States was Benjamin Oney (1701-Abt.1770). Although I don’t know when he immigrated, he married Ann Wilson (Abt. 1721-?) in 1733 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. So that would put my Branch of the Oney’s in the U.S. prior to 1733.
There is no hard evidence for the origin of the Oney surname. I did read once that it may have come from the Fouque D’Aulnay with Aulnay eventually becoming Oney. Aulnay is French though, so that would mean Oney is of French Origin. England is the furthest back I have been able to trace the Oney surname though.
According to Forebears.io, (2014), Oney is the 43,145th most common surname in the world. There are approximately 11,235 people worldwide with the Oney surname. Quite interesting though is that the country with the most Oney’s is Turkey (7,162) followed by the United States (3,542). The Oney surname can be found in at least 33 different countries. Oney is the 10,281st most common name in the United States. Also surprising is that there are only approximately 16 Oney’s in England.