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Delaney, this interesting and unusual name, with the variants Daddow, Daunay, Dauney, Dawnay, Dawney and Delan(e)y, is of French (Norman) origin and has two possible meanings, the first being that it is a Scandinavian personal name of unknown etymology. The second, and more likely is that it is a dialectal variant of "Aunou", in Orne, Normandy, with the fused preposition "de". Annou derives from the Old French "aunaie", meaning an alder grove.

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So an Anglo-Norman name as most English surnames are and many Irish surnames. So call Delaney English, Irish, Viking or Norman French it is up to you! There have been many English families with this surname dating back to the 12th century