-jeanne Irish Surnames _________________________________________________________________ The use of hereditary surnames in Ireland began around the tenth century. Up to that time people were identified by single names e.g. Cormac, Diarmaid, or by the use of nicknames. With the increase in population it was necessary to add other names to avoid confusion. The oldest surnames were those incorporating "O" or it's earliest form "Ui" meaning "grandson" and "Mac" meaning "son", together with the personal name of the grandfather or father. Many surnames were derived from the occupation of the father, for example:- "Ward" from "Mac an Bhaird" meaning "son of the bard" "Cleary" from "O'Cleirigh" meaning "grandson of the clerk" "McGowan" from "Mac an Ghabhann" meaning "son of the blacksmith" "Hickey" from "O'hIceadha" meaning "grandson of the healer". The influence of the church can be seen in the adoption of names incorporating "giolla" or "maol" meaning "follower" or "devotee". Thus "Gilmartin or Martin" from "Mac Giolla Mhartain" means "son of a follower of St. Martin" and "Mulrennan" from "O'Maoilbhreanainn" descendant of a follower of St. Brendan". Some other surnames had a descriptive origin for example:- "Doyle" from "O'Dubhghaill" means "black haired foreigner". As well as the many Gaelic names a large number of Irish family names owe their origins to the many invasions and plantations of Ireland down the centuries. Some names which originated from the Viking (Norwegian & Danish) invaders are, "McLoughlin" (MacLochlainn) and "McIvor" (Maiomhair). Surnames of Norman origin are numerous and widespread throughout the country and most of them were created in the aftermath of the Anglo-Norman invasion in 1171. Norman-France was the origin for most of these. Names beginning with "Fitz" from the French "fils" meaning "son" are the most obvious Norman names. Other examples are, Browne, Burke, Costello, Cusack, Dillon, Keating, Power, Roche and Walsh. The Plantation of Ulster in 1611 attracted a large number of Scottish settlers and their names e.g. Ross, Kerr, Gordon, Graham, Morrison and Stewart are common in many areas of Ulster today. The Cromwellian Settlement of the 1650's also brought a large influx of British names to Ireland. Many old Irish names were anglicised and the prefixes "O" and "Mac" were dropped. English officials and landlords translated and mistranslated names to their nearest sounding English equivalent. Examples of translations are:- "MacGabhann", (son of the smith) becoming "Smith" in some areas and "McGowan" in others and "MacGiolla Easpaigh", (son of the follower of the bishop) becoming either "Gillespie" or "Bishop". _________________________________________________________________ Copyright CavanNet 1996