Johannes Peny was witness in Elgin in 1343 (REM., p. 290), Mr. John Peny, a Scottish clerk, had a safe conduct in England, 1362 (Rot. Scot., I, p. 867b), and a later John Peny had a grant of the fulling mill of Ballernache in Perthshire in 1375 (RMS., I, 577). George Penny was a writer in Edinbergh in 1433 (RED., I, 59), Alexander Penny held land in Glasgow in 1487 (LCD., p. 256), and John Penny was prior of the order of Preachers in Aberdeen in 1486-7 (REA., II, p. 299; LCD., p. 201) William Peny held a croft in the sheriffdom of Linlithgow in 1500 (Neubotle, p. 281), and in 1529 "Desse Penne oblissis hir neuer to by buttir nor cheise .. to regrait agane" in Edinburgh (MCM., II,p. 85). Isobel Pennie is recorded in Chirnsyde in 1683 (Lauder), and James Penny from Fyvie was killed in the first Great War (Turriff). Penney 1470.

Probably local. Many places in Scotland are compounded with this word (whatever it may mean), as Pennycross, Pennycuick, Pennygown, Pennimuir, &c.

The top of a mountain or hill. A mountain in Spain is called by the inhabitants "La Penna de los Enamorados,"or the Lover's Rock. The word has the same meaning as the English pinnacle.

This name has been classed with Benn, Benney, Binney, Old German Benno, Benni, Binne, Modern German Behn, Benne, Bihn. It is rather from the W. pen, head, chief, end. Hence the names Fippeny, Fourapenny (found Fourapeni), Godspenny, Hankpenny, Manypenny, Moneypenny, Pennycook, Pennycuick, Pennymaker, Pennyman (anciently Pennaman and Peniman), Pennymore, Smalpenny, Tempany, Tenpenny, Thickpenny, Ticklepenny, Turnpenny, Whirlpenny (in H.R. Whirlepeni), Wilderspin, Wimpenny, Winpenny (white). See also Allpenny, Halfpenny, Hapenny, Twopenny, Craven, Inkpen, Pennyfather, Pennyfeather.

In the reign of Anne, John Penny, Esq., lived at Charlton Musgrove, and at the same time a burgess of Glastonbury bore this name (P.).