The Surnames of Ireland

6th Edition

Edward MacLysaght

• Publisher: Irish Academic Press
• Year: 1988
• ISBN:
  9781911024644
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Irish History
• Index: History

Ireland was one of the earliest countries to evolve a system of hereditary surnames. More than 4,000 Gaelic, Norman and Anglo-Irish surnames are listed in this book, giving a wealth of information on the background and location of Irish families. Edward MacLysaght was a leading authority on Irish names and family history. He served as Chief Herald and Genealogical Officer of the Irish Office of Arms. He was also Keeper of Manuscripts of the National Library of Ireland and was Chairman of the Manuscripts Commission. This book, which was first published in 1957 and now is in its sixth edition, is being reprinted for the fourth time and remains the definitive record of Irish surnames, their genealogy and their origins.

A

AbbertonAn English toponymic found in south-east Galway, locally classed as one of the ‘Oultaghs’, i.e. families which migrated from Ulster early in the eighteenth century.

AbbottAbóid. This old English name (usually of nickname type) is in Ireland since the fourteenth century and is now quite numerous in Dublin.

AbernethyThis branch of the Scottish clan Leslie has been established in north Ulster since the first half of the seventeenth century. It is now well known in east Cork.

(Mac) AbrahamIn Ireland Abraham as a surname is seldom of Jewish origin but is a corruption of Mac an Bhreitheamhan (son of the judge), first anglicized MacAbrehan etc. MacAbraham and even FitzAbraham occur in Co Cork in the thirteenth century. The synonym Brohoon is still extant. MIF

AchesonThough this name (the Scots form of Atkinson) occurs occasionally in mediaeval records (e.g. a monk at Trim in 1436) it was not established permanently in Ireland till the seventeenth century—first in Co. Wicklow and Fermanagh. It has since become scattered.

AchmootySee Aughmuty.

ActonThis English toponymic occurs occasionally in Irish records from the early fifteenth century onwards. The Co. Wicklow family settled there in mid-seventeenth century but otherwise it has always been a scattered name in Ireland. Bibl.

AdairA Scottish name prominent in Ulster. It is also occasionally an anglicized form of Ó Dáire,* formerly in Offaly. MIF (where Robin Adair is identified).

Mac AdamThis name has several origins in Ireland. In Co. Cork it was an Irish patronymic, Mac Adaim, assumed by a branch of the Norman Barrys; in Co. Armagh it is a synonym of MacCadden; in Co. Cavan it can be for MacCaw; Ballymacadam in Clanmorris barony, Co. Mayo, locates a family there. This place-name occurs also in Kerry and south Tipperary. In Dublin and Belfast MacAdam is often Scottish. MIF

AdamsThis well-known English name has been used synonymously with Aidy and Eadie in Co. Down. Bibl.

Mac AdarraA variant form of (Mac) Darragh found in Co. Louth.

AddisThis English name (a pet form of Adam) came to Ireland early in the seventeenth century, first to Westmeath, later to Co. Cork. It has since become more numerous in north-east Ulster, where the variant form Addy is also found. Neither has been closely identified with any particular area.

AddySee Aidy.

AdleySee Audley.

AdlumSee Odlum.

Mac AdooSee Cunniff.

Mac AdoreyMac an Deoraidh (son of the stranger). A rare Co. Antrim name.

AdorianA variant of Doran in Co. Down. As Dorian it is found in Co. Donegal.

AdrainÓ Dreáin. Woulfe’s derivation from dreán, wren, is improbable. There is an older word drenn, which has several meanings including rough and firm. The name is sometimes shortened to Drain. This ’erenagh family was originally of Co. Roscommon but later under pressure from the MacDermots, settled in Ulster. MIF

AdrianWhen not used as a variant of Adrain this is a form of the Latin Adrianus. It is not a synonym of Adorian.

Mac AfeeSee Mahaffy.

AffleckSee Flack.

AgarSee under Eagar.

AgartyAn occasional variant of Hegarty.

AghoonÓ hEachdhubháin (each, steed—dubh, black). Now usually changed by mistranslation to Whitesteed. Both these names are now rare.

Mac AghySee MacCaughey.

AglishSee Church.

AgnewÓ Gnímh (gníomh, action). A literary family under the O’Neills whose name was formerly anglicized O’Gneeve. Some Agnews, also of Ulster, are of Norman (d’Agneau) descent. There was a family of Ο Gnímha, anglicized O’Gnew, located near Doneraile, Co. Cork, early in the thirteenth century. Bibl; MIF

AherneÓ hEachthigheirn or Ó hEachthighearna (each, steed—tigh-earna, lord). Originally Dalcassian, this sept migrated from east Clare to Co. Cork. In Co. Waterford the English name Hearn is a synonym of Ahearn. IF Map Clare.

AhessyA variant of Hahessy in Co. Waterford.

AideSee under Heade.

Aidy, AddySee Adams and Addis. Adie is a sept of the Scottish clan Gordon and MacAdie of the clan Ferguson.

AikenAn old Scottish diminutive of Adam, having many variant spellings including Aitken. Since mid-seventeenth century it has been numerous in north-east Ulster. The form Eakin is also used, especially in Co. Derry and adjacent areas. The earliest Irish reference to the name I have met outside Ulster is in a Dublin Funeral Entry of 1654: it is of interest to note that the arms given there bear no resemblance to those of the Scottish and Ulster Aikens. Woulfe’s suggestion that Aiken may have been sometimes used for O’Hagan (Ó hAogáin) may be tenable, having regard to the location of the latter. Egan has also been used as a synonym of Aiken in Co. Down. MIF

AireyAn English toponymic found in Ulster.

Mac AlarneySee under Mullarney.

AlcockThis English name is in Co. Waterford since late seventeenth century. No less than 47 Alcocks were students of Dublin University between 1605 and 1845; the earliest were not of Co. Waterford.

AlcornAn English name (from old corn) fairly prominent in Ulster since mid-seventeenth century and particularly associated with Co. Donegal.

(Mac) AldinI have failed to find the origin of this name which has long been in Co. Monaghan and south Down, where both MacAldin and occasionally Haldan are variants. In his earlier work Woulfe gave the form in Irish as Mac Ailín but in his later larger book he evidently rejected that, as he gives none of the...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• By The Same Author
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Introduction
• Explanation of technical terms used in Text
• Alphabetical Listing of Surnames
• Addenda
• Appendix I: English and Scottish Surnames in Ireland
• Appendix II: Simplification of Gaelic Forms of Irish Surnames
• Map