This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: PatWicklow Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.ireland.may.general/7867.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: The surname Jordan which in Irish is Mac Siúrtáin is what's known as a Gaelic patronymic name. In other words the name is derived from a given name. That Irish surname was then adopted by a Norman family whose head was named Jordan d'Exeter. The Normans became more Irish than the native Irish themselves. They were called Hiberniores Hibernicis. The Burke surname arrived in Ireland during the Anglo Norman invasion too as did other surnames like Delaney, Butler, Fitzgerald. The Jordan surname is very common in Connaught Province which includes County Mayo. The Normans arrived in Ireland in the mid twelfth century during the Anglo Norman Invasion. See: http://www.triskelle.eu/history/anglonormaninvasion.php?index=060.046 The following link in addition to the history of the Anglo Norman invasion also explains that the Anglo Normans gave their children their fathers' first name as their surname. http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/history/norman_invasion.html Pat Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.