Recorded as Seney, Seeney, Seeny, Signey, Siney, Synai, and others, this is an English surname. It originates from the pre 7th century Olde English personal compound name "Sigenod". This is in two elements, the first being "sige" meaning victory, and the suffix "nod" meaning brave, to give the literal translation of 'victory-brave.' The surname whilst well recorded in the surviving church registers of the city of London from the time of King Henry V111th (1510 - 1547) is also popular in Ireland being first recorded there amongst the gentry in counties Westmeath, Kildare and Offaly from about 1610. Early examples of the surname recordings include Elizabeth Seeny at St Mary Aldermary in the city of London on November 7th 1546, Jacob Synney, christened at Sunbury on Thames on September 7th 1579, Edward Synai who was a witness in London, also in 1579 and Mary Siney who married John West at St. James, Dukes Place, London on June 25th 1693. In Ireland examples of recordings include Anne, the daughter of William and Elizabeth Sanney, who was christened at St. Catherines Dublin, on April 16th 1720, whilst William Sany was christened at the same church on December 9th 1712. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Sygemay. This was dated 1275, in the Pipe Rolls of the manor of Wakefield, in Yorkshire, during the reign of King Edward 1st of England, and known as 'The Hammer of the Scots', 1272 - 1307. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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