This interesting name is a variant of Molney, which is of Irish origin, and with variant spelling Molony, is the Anglicization of the Gaelic "O' Maol Dhomhnaigh", translates as "the descendant of the servant of the church", with the "O" denoting "the male descendant of", although the name is now seldom found with the prefix "o". Moloney is a Dalcassian sept belonging to Kiltanon near Tulla in East Clare, where they are extremely numerous, although they are equally prevalent in the neighbouring counties of Limerick and Tipperary. Muldowney itself, is found mainly in Ulster. O' Moloney and O' Muldowny were formerly used synonymously. The name was probably introduced to England by Irish famine immigrants in the mid 18th Century. John Muldowney married Ellen Budd on March 8th 1655, at St. Andrew, Farlington, Hampshire while at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster, London, Sarah Emma Muldowney married John Bowen on April 26th 1846. Thomas Muldwoney was christened at Carlow, County Carlow, Ireland on December 7th 1774. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Malachy O' Molony (was bishop of Kolmacduagh between), which was dated 1570 - 1610, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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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