Surname Origin
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Duffy |
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In Irish Duffy is Ó Dubhthaigh, from dubhthach, meaning "the dark one". Several different families of the name arose separately in different places, the most important being in Donegal, Roscommon and Monaghan. In Donegal the family were centred on the parish of Templecrone, where they remained powerful churchmen for almost eight hundred years. Here the name has also been anglicised as Dowey or Doohey. The Roscommon family too had a long association with the church, producing a succession of distinguished abbots and bishops. The area around Lissonuffy in the north-east of the county, which is named after them, was the centre of their influence. From this source, the name is now common in north Connacht. The Monaghan O'Duffys were rulers of the area around Clontibret. They too contributed a great deal to the church, with a huge number of parish clergy of the name. They flourished through the centuries, and Duffy is now the single most common name in Co. Monaghan. Sir Charles Gavan Duffy (1816-1903), of the Monaghan Duffys, had a long and distinguished career as a journalist and politician. One of the founders of The Nation newspaper, he was active in the Young Ireland movement, set up the Tenants’ Rights movement and was elected M.P. for New Ross in 1852. Disillusioned at his lack of success, he emigrated to Australia in 1855 and went on to become Premier of Victoria. Among his sons, Sir Frank Gavan Duffy was Chief Justice of Australia from 1931 to 1936 and Charles Gavan Duffy was Clerk of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Charles’ son George Gavan Duffy returned to Ireland to become active in the nationalist cause. He was one of the signatories to the Treaty in 1921, and became President of the High Court
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McCabe |
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MacCabe derives from the Irish Mac Caba, from caba meaning "cape" or "cloak". The family are thought originally to have been a branch of the MacLeods of Harris in the Hebrides. The came to Ireland from there in the mid-fourteenth century to act as gallowglasses (mercenaries) to the O'Reillys and the O'Rourkes, the ruling families in the kingdom of Breffny, the territory now part of counties Longford and Cavan. They became completely hibernicized and adopted the customs and practices of the Irish, including internecine war; having established themselves in neighbouring Fermanagh by the fifteenth century, they continued the struggle for control with the Maguires up to the final catastrophe of the seventeenth century. The surname also became prominent in other adjoining counties, in particular Co. Monaghan.
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Brennan |
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This is one of the most frequent surnames in Ireland, and is to be found throughout the country, though noticeably less common in Ulster. In 1890 it was ranked 27th, with 358 births, while in 1996 it was 14th in the Republic and only 91st in Northern Ireland. It derives from three Irish originals: Ó Braonáin, from braon, possibly meaning "sorrow", Mac Branáin, and Ó Branáin, both from bran, meaning "raven", one of the most popular personal names in early Ireland. The Mac Branáin were chiefs of a large territory in the east of the present Co. Roscommon, and a large majority of the Brennans of north Connacht, counties Mayo, Sligo and Roscommon, descend from them. Ó Branáin was a name found among the Cenel Eoghan, the tribal grouping claiming descent from Eoghan, one of the sons of the 4th century monarch, Niall, progenitor of the Uí Néill. Their territory included the modern county which records his name, Tyrone, and it is in this area and the adjoining counties of Donegal, Fermanagh and Monaghan that the northern Brennans are now most commonly found. In this area, especially Donegal, the name was also anglicised as Brannan and Branny. 15 Brannan births are recorded in 1890, most of them in Donegal. Ó Braonáin originated in at least four distinct areas, Kilkenny, east Galway, Westmeath and Kerry. Of these the most powerful were the Ó Braonáin of Kilkenny, chiefs of Idough in the north of the county. After they lost their land and status to the English, many of them became notorious as leaders of bands of outlaws. Witness the popular ballad "Brennan on the Moor". One of the last chiefs of the name of the .Kilkenny Brennans was John Brennan (1768-11830), popularly known as the "wrestling doctor" for his satires on the Dublin medical establishment. The classical scholar Christopher (John) Brennan was the most learned poet Australia produced at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century., Mostly in the symbolist tradition, his work is characterized by force of feeling and depth of imagery. Joseph Brennan (1887-1963) was one of the most influential Irish civil servants of his generation, becoming the first Secretary of the Department of Finance, chairman of the Currency Commission and, from 1942 until 1953, first governor of the central Bank.
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Haughey |
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A name belonging to two areas in Ulster: Donegal-Fermanagh and the Oriel country around counties Armagh and Monaghan. Normally an 0 name. (Ó hEachaidh) but occurs occasionally with the Mac prefix, e.g. in the Armagh Hearth Money Rolls of 1666. Mac Eachaidh is usually anglicized Mac Caughey and MacCaghy of Co. Tyrone. Synonyms of Haughey recorded by the Registrar-General are Hoy in Antrim and Haffey in Co. Armagh. Hoey is an occasional variant. Haughey, as Ó hEachadha, is mentioned as a sept located in the Glenard area in the 1609 Armagh church lands inquisition. The best known of the name is Charles J. Haughey, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland 1979-1981
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McKenna |
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MacKenna is the English form of the Irish surname Mac Cionaoith. The Mac Cionaoith were originally based in Meath, but in early times were brought north into Clogher as hired fighters by the rulers of that territory, and quickly became lords in their own right of Truagh, a territory on the borders of the modern counties of Tyrone and Monaghan. Their power endured down to the seventeenth century, their last chief being Patrick McKenna, who died near Emyvale Co. Monaghan in 1616. Another branch of this family settled in Co. Down in the seventeenth century, near the town of Maghera. The name is one of the few for which anglicisation, the loss of the "Mac" prefix, has never worked. The surname is still very numerous in the area of the original homeland, to the point where suffixes and local nicknames are necessary to identify the different families of the name. Over the centuries, however, has spread throughout the country. In the century since Matheson’s survey of the frequency of Irish surnames, the McKennas appear to have gone forth and multiplied. Ranked 89th in 1890, with 201 births of the name, by 1996 they were at 68th in the Republic of Ireland and 52nd in Northern Ireland, based on telephone directory listings. .Juan MacKenna (1771-1814) was born at Clogher in Co. Tyrone, educated in Barcelona and became Governor of Oserno in Chile. He became a general under the Liberator Bernardo O'Higgins in the fight for Chilean independence and was killed in a duel with one of O’Higgins’ opponents. Siobhán McKenna (1921-86) was the most famous Irish actress of her generation, renowned for her parts in Shaw’s St. Joan and Murphy’s Bailegangaire. T.P. McKenna (b. 1929), originally from Cavan, is also well-known on television, in films and on the stage of the Abbey. Martin McKenna (1832-1907) emigrated to Australia in 1845 and set up the Campaspe Brewery. He became a respected politician and farmer.
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McDonnell |
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MacDonnell comes from the Irish Mac Domhnaill, from the personal name Domhnall, a compound made up of "world" and "strong". It is common and widely distributed throughout Ireland. The principal source of the name in Ireland is in fact Scottish. Grandsons of Donald of Islay came to Ulster as gallowglasses, mercenary fighters for the Irish chiefs, in the 14th century. They rapidly acquired territory and power on their own account, both in Ulster - branches of the family established themselves in Tyrone, Fermanagh, Monaghan and Antrim - and elsewhere - the Burkes are reputed to have first brought them to Mayo. In the sixteenth century Somhairle Buidhe ("Sorley Boy") MacDonnell conquered a large part of Co. Antrim and defended it tenaciously against Gaelic Irish and English intrusions. In 1620 his son, Randal MacSorley MacDonnell was created Earl of Antrim. Given the origin of the surname, the confusion with MacDonald is understandable; Irish MacDonalds in fact share their ancestry with most Irish McDonnells. In addition, the Antrim pronunciation of the original Irish has sometimes lead to the anglicisation MacConnell, or Connell. To complicate matters still further, there are also several native Irish sources for the surname. In Ulster, the most prominent native family were the MacDonnells of Clankelly, rulers of Fermanagh before the rise of the Maguires. Displaced by their loss of power, they settled in the north of the adjoining Co. Monaghan, and remain numerous in the area. Another family arose in the old kingdom of Thomond, in the Clare/Limerick area, where the MacDonnells were hereditary poets to the O'Briens. Seán Clárach MacDonnell (1691-1754) was the most famous poet in Munster in his day. .Alexander MacDonnell (1798-1835), from Belfast, was one of the greatest chess players of his day. He was world chess champion in 1833. Sir Antony MacDonnell (1844-1925) of the Mayo family had a distinguished career in the British civil service, becoming Lieutenant-Governor of Agra and Oudh in 1895. From 1902 to 1908 he was the head of the Irish civil service and played a large part in the reforms of his day, including the transfers of land ownership to small tenants. He was made Baron MacDonnell of Swineford in 1908.
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Murphy |
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Murphy is the anglicised version of two Irish surnames, Ó Murchadha (in modern Irish Ó Murchú) and Mac Murchadha, both derived from the popular early Irish personal name Murchadh, meaning "sea-warrior". Mac Murchadha ("son of Murchadh) is exclusive to Ulster, where the family were part of the Cenél Eoghain, the tribal grouping claiming descent from Eoghan, himself a son of the fifth century founder of the Uí Neill dynasty, Niall of the Nine Hostages, who was reputedly responsible for the kidnapping of St. Patrick to Ireland. These Ulster Murphys (or MacMuphys) were originally based in present-day Co. Tyrone, in the area known as Muintir Birn, but were driven out by the O'Neills and settled in south Armagh, where they were subjects of the O'Neills of the Fews. In Ulster today, Murphy remains most numerous in Co. Armagh, though it is also to be found in great numbers in Fermanagh and Monaghan. Elsewhere in Ireland, Ó Murchadha (descendant of Murchadh) is the original Irish. This arose separately in at least three distinct areas, in Cork, Roscommon and Wexford. The most prominent of these were the Wexford Uí Murchadha. These took their surname from Murchadh or Murrough, grandfather of Dermot MacMurrough, King of Leinster, and thus share their origin not only with the MacMurroughs but also with the Kinsellas, the Kavanaghs and the MacDavy Mores. Their territory lay in the barony of Ballaghkeen in Wexford, and was formerly known as Hy Felimy, from Felim, one of the sons of Eanna Cinnseallaigh, the semi-legendary fourth-century ruler of Leinster. Their chief seats in this area were at Morriscastle ("Ó Murchu's Castle"), Toberlamina, Oulart and Oularteigh. The last chief of the name to be elected by the old Gaelic method of tanistry was Murtagh, who in 1461 was granted the right to use English law, thus entitling him to pass on his possessions to his direct descendants. The arrangement lasted only until the late sixteenth century, when Donal Mor O'Morchoe (as the name was then anglicised) was overthrown, and virtually all his territory confiscated; most of his followers were scattered and settled in the surrounding counties, in Kilkenny and Carlow particularly. One branch, however, based at Oularteigh, did manage to retain their lands, and their succession continues unbroken down to the present. David O'Morchoe (this version of the name was adopted by deed poll by his grandfather in 1895) is the current Chief of the Name, recognised as such by The Chief Herald of Ireland. The arms illustrated are for this family. Charles Francis Murphy (1858-1924) was the best known leader of the Democratic Party in New York when that party’s power was at its peak. The period is best known now by the name of the party headquarters, Tamanny Hall. Marie Louise O Murphy (1737-1814) was the daughter of an Irish soldier who settled at Rouen. The famous painting of her by Boucher so intrigued Louis XV that Marie Louise became his mistress. Seamus Murphy (1907-75) was a well-known sculptor, becoming Professor of Sculpture at the Royal Hibernian Academy. His autobiography "Stone Mad" is a classic.
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McGrath |
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MacGrath, and its many variants - Magrath, MacGraw, Magra, Magraw - comes from the Irish Mac Raith, from the personal name Rath, meaning "grace" or "prosperity". Two native Irish families adopted the name. The first was based on the borders of the modern counties of Donegal and Fermanagh, around Termon MacGrath, and were erenaghs (hereditary abbots) of the monastery of St. Daveoc on Lough Derg. Castle Magrath, dating from the 16th century, stands in Pettigo in Co. Fermanagh. The most remarkable bearer of the name was of this family, Meiler Magrath (1523-1622), who managed to be, simultaneously, Catholic Bishop of Down and Connor and Protestant Archbishop of Cashel. His rapacity was notorious, and he held six Anglican bishoprics, four of them at the one time, as well as the income of seventy parishes. For his pains, he lived to be 100. The other family were originally based in Co. Clare, where they were famous as hereditary poets and genealogists to the ruling O'Brien family of Thomond. One of this family John Mac Cratih wrote the eleventh-century history The Wars of Turlough. Today neither area has large numbers of the surname. The southern family spread eastwards, into counties Tipperary and Waterford, while the northern family's descendants are now mainly to be found in Co. Tyrone, where they settled around Ardstraw after being driven from their homeland by the O'Donnells. Descendants of the Clare family were responsible for the famous bardic school at Cahir in Co. Tipperary which lasted down to the eighteenth century. Joseph McGrath (1877-1966) was involved in the 1916 rising and became Minister for Labour and subsequently Minister for Industry and Commerce in the new Irish government. He went on to a successful business career, founding a dynasty which continues to the present. Sir Patrick Thomas Magrath (1868-1929) was descended from the Waterford family. He became President of the Upper House of the Newfoundland legislature. Andrew Condon Magrath (1813-1893), son of refugee from the 1798 rebellion, fought on the Confederate side in the American Civil War, and went on to become Governor of South Carolina. James Magrath (1835-1898) of the Tipperary family was an Oblate Missionary, and became the first Provincial of the Oblate Fathers in the U.S.A.
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Cosgrove |
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The Cosgraves and Cosgroves are mainly found in three areas. Most of todays representatives of the Leinster sept of Ó Cosraigh are found in the east coast of Leinster, from Dublin to Wexford. Before it was dispersed by the O'Tooles and the O'Bymes this sept was in possession of part of north Wicklow not far from of Bray. In the sixteenth century they are often mentioned as people of standing, particularly in Co. Wexford. In Ulster and Connacht the name is usually spelt Cosgrove. In Connacht the sept, again 0 Coscraigh (or its shortened form Ó Coscair), is of the Ui Maine and was located on the eastern shore of Galway Bay. Presumably Coningus Ó Coscraigh, Bishop of Clonmacnois (d. 997) and Benedictus O'Cascry, Bishop of Killaloe (d. 1325) were of this sept. In Ulster Cosgrove is the modem form of three distinct Irish surnames, Ó Coscraigh, of different stock as those mentioned above -- was the name of the chiefs of Feara Ruis (near Carrickmacross) hard to distinguish, with the prefixes Mac and 0 discarded, from the neighbouring family of Mac Coscraigh erenaghs of Clones. These were called MacCosguyr, MacKuesker etc., in sixteenth century records in English; they appear as MacCosker among the principal Irish names in Co. Fermanagh this is preserved in the form MacCusker still found in or near Co. Tyrone. Macllcosker, found inthe Co. Armagh Hearth Money Rolls ((1664) is not the same, being MacGiolla Coscair in Irish. A third origin in Ulster is MacCosracháin, MacCosrichen in Tudor English. In the Fiants, today abbreviated to Cosrove and indistinguishable from the others. Synonyms of Cosgrove include Cuskery and Cosker. The local pronunciation in West Limerick is Cosgree, and is much nearer phonetically to the Irish than is Cosgrave. William T. cosgrave, was the First Taoiseach of the Irish Free State, his son Liam was Taoiseach from 1973 to 1976
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Fitzpatrick |
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Despite its Norman appearance, "Fitz-" being Norman French for "son of", in the vast majority of cases Fitzpatrick is an anglicisation of the Irish Mac Giolla Phadraig, meaning "son of the servant of (St.) Patrick". Similarly to other surnames containing Giolla, it has also been anglicised as "Kilpatrick" and, more rarely, "Gilpatrick", principally in Ulster, where it is most common in counties Fermanagh and Monaghan. The original Giolla Padraig from whom the surname is taken was the tenth-century ruler of the ancient kingdom of Upper Ossory, including parts of the present counties of Laois and Kilkenny. The surname was anglicised to Fitzpatrick in the early sixteenth century when the chief of the family accepted the title of Lord Baron of Upper Ossory from Henry VIII. Partly due to this, they managed to retain possession of a large portion of their original lands right up to the nineteenth century. Although the surname is now common and widespread throughout Ireland, the largest concentration is still to be found in Co. Laois, part of their original homeland.
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McCormick |
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MacCormack and MacCormick are both derived from Mac Cormaic,from the extremely popular Irish and Scottish personal name Cormac. This popularity meant that the surname arose independently in a large number of places throughout Ireland (and Scotland), and is today widely scattered. It seems likely also that the creation of theses surnames took place at a later date than many of the other native Irish names. The only family of any early consequence were based in Co. Fermanagh, around Kilmacormick, "MacCormack's church", and were a branch of the Maguires. The most famous bearer of the surname is undoubtedly John MacCormack (1885-1945), the operatic and concert tenor, who achieved extraordinary international fame in the first half of this century.
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