Keaveney is an Irish surname, which is an anglicized form of the Gaelic àGéibheannaigh, meaning "descendant of Géibheannach". Géibheannach means "fettered". Alternative spellings include Keaveny, Keveney, Keavney, and Kiveney. Related names include Caveney, Kaney, Kevan, Kevany, Kenney, Kenny, Geaveny, Geany, Guiney, Gainey and O'Guiney.
The O Geibheannaigh sept came from County Galway. A sept or clan was a collective term describing a group of persons whose immediate ancestors bore a common surname and inhabited the same territory. This was a sept of the UàMháine (or "Hymany") descended from Geibhennach, son of Aedh, Chief of the UàMháine. Geibhennach was slain in battle in 971 at Keshcorran, County Sligo.
The UàMháine chieftains ruled much of East Galway and South Roscommon. The Irish language meaning of Géibheannach is "hostage" or "captive" probably indicating that Aedh's son had been taken hostage by enemies at an earlier stage.