Kneen, (pronounced "neen" with the 'K' silent), is a Manx surname. There have been several interpretations of the origin of the surname. Kneen may be an Anglicisation of the Gaelic patronymic Mac Niadháin, which is derived from a pet form of the Gaelic personal name Nia meaning "champion".Kneen Name Meaning and History Retrieved on 2008-04-21McNee Name Meaning and History Retrieved on 2008-04-21 Another origin attributed to the surname is that Kneen may be derived from the Gaelic Mac Cianain,Reaney, Percy H. & Wilson, R. M. (eds.) A Dictionary of English Surnames. Routledge, 1991. . meaning "son of Cianan". The name Cianan being a diminutive of cian, meaning "long".Harrison, Henry. Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1996. . Another opinion published in the 19th century is that Kneen is possibly a corruption of the surname Nevyn, and derived from the Gaelic Naomh meaning "a saint". This origin has been attributed to the name because Kneen had been thought to be confused in early documents with the surnames Nevyn and Nevyne. An Andrew John Nevyn is recorded in 1417. A Jenkin M'Nyne is recorded in 1429, and later in 1430 his name is recorded as Jenkine Mac Nevyne.Moore, Arthur William. The Surnames & Place-Names of the Isle of Man. With an introdroduction by Professor Rhys. London: Elliot Stock, 1890.
As a surname Dan Kneen, (1987–2018), motorcycle racer Edgar Kneen, Australian footballer John Kneen, (1873–1938), Manx linguist Krissy Kneen, Australian bookseller and writer Steve Kneen, Australian rugby player Thomas Kneen, (1852–1916), Manx, His Majesty's Clerk of the Rolls for the Isle of Man
See also McNee (disambiguation), derived from the Gaelic Mac Niadh, which is the patronymic form of the Gaelic personal name Nia. McNiven, derived from the Gaelic Mac Naoimhín.McNiven Name Meaning and History Retrieved on 2008-05-08 Nevin, sometimes derived from the Gaelic Mac Naoimhín.Nevin Name Meaning and History Retrieved on 2008-05-08
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