This unusual name is found under the varied spellings of Canny Canney, Cannee, Cany, Caney, Kaney, and Cannye, however its origin is Huguenot. It derives from the Olde French 'canet', meaning a maker of jugs and pitchers, although it can also be locational for the Catalan and Provencal regions where there are various places called 'canet'. The name development in England includes Sarah Cainey who married Robert Farrow at St. Dunstans, Stepney in 1697, Francis Canney christened at St. Botolphs, London in 1699 and Ann Canny, recorded at St. Giles, Cripplegate in 1749. Surname origins fall into five main categories, although these can sub-divide or overlap. These categories are locational from places such as London, or countries such as England, or regions such as Brittany. They may be topographical such as River(s) or Hill(s), occupational such as Fletcher or Greensmith, patronymic as Jones and Johnson, which are the same, and finally by-names or nicknames such as Jubb or Nessling. Every country has some names in each classification, although Russia for instance, is overwhelmingly patronymic. France, England and Germany, have almost even representation in each category, whilst Italy has double, triple and even quadruple, patronymics, leading to great confusion. Many of the popular surnames of the Iberian peninsula, predominantly Spanish and Portuguese owe much to the 5th century Visigoth (German) invaders. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Jaque Caniee, which was dated 1655 christened at the French Huguenot Church, Threadneedle Street, London, during the reign of Oliver Cromwell, The Lord Protector, 1649 - 1658. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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