Irish surname search
It is sometimes thought that he famous George Canning was of an ancient Irish family of Derry: his father, George Canning (1733-1771 ), a poet, was from Derry and for a century before his time the Cannings of Garvagh, Co. Derry, were landowners of standing, but they actually came from Wiltshire, England. Another George Canning was very active in organizing the Plantation of Ulster in 1615 was from Warwickshire. These were not connected with any of the Gaelic-Irish families whose names have at some time been anglicized as Canning. One of these is Ó Cainin of Westmeath and Offaly, called O'Cannine and O’Cannyn in the sixteenth century Fiants. It has been recorded in official birth registrations as being used synonymously with Cannon in Donegal, Leitrim and Mayo, and with Cunnane in Mayo. Today Canning is quite numerous in Ireland. Found chiefly in west Ulster and north Connacht.