Posted on 07/05/2015 8:38:50 PM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
IrishCentral.com has put together a list of the top 100 common Irish surnames with a little explanation of where these names come from.
Whether you're looking to trace your family crest or trying to trace your family roots this list will point you in the right direction.
From Aherne to Whelan here is our top 100 Irish names:
Aherne - (Ó hEachtighearna/Ó hEachthairn) (each, steed tightearna, lord). Originally Dalcassian, this sept migrated from east Clare to Co. Cork. In County Waterford the English name Hearn is a synonym of Hearn.
MacAleese - MacGiolla (son of the devotee of Jesus). The name of a prominent Derry sept. There are many variants of the name such as MacIliese, MacLeese, MacLice, MacLise, etc. The best known of this spelling, the painter Daniel MacLise, was a family of the Scottish highlands, know as MacLeish, which settled in Cork.
Allen - This is usually of Scottish or English origin but sometimes Ó hAillín in Offaly and Tipperary has been anglicized Allen as well as Hallion. Occasionally also in Co. Tipperary. Allen is found as a synonym of Hallinan. As Alleyn it occurs frequently in mediaeval Anglo Irish records. The English name Allen is derived from that of a Welsh saint.
MacAteer - Mac an tSaoir (saor, craftsman) An Ulster name for which the Scottish MacIntyre, of similar derivation, is widely substituted. Ballymacateer is a place-name in Co. Armagh, which is its homeland. Mac an tSaoir is sometimes anglicized Wright in Fermanagh.
MacAuley - Awley. There are two distinct septs of this name, viz. MacAmhalghaidh of Offaly and West Meath, and the more numerous MacAmhlaoibh, a branch of the MacGuires which as MacAmhlaoibh gives the form Gawley in Connacht. Both are derived from personal names. The latter must not be confused with MacAuliffe. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at irishcentral.com ...
Bfl
Ní thuigim aon rud. Go raibh maith agat.
greetings from the Galligans, Coyles, McEnroes, Finnegans, Flanagans, O’Briens, Hogans, Lynches, McCormicks, Prices, Keefes, Walshes, Murphys, Downes, Kellehers, Hacketts, Taylors, Mulhearns.
I had not heard that term. So then, I am descended from proud, Ulster Scots.
The recent vote in Eire legalizing gay “marriage” puts a new meaning on the Names Patrick Fitzmichael and Michael Fitzpatrick.
Meh...
Me maiden name, Joyce....no where to be found.
And their thinking its a top 100 list...
I dunno about this list. Even the map only shows northern Ireland.
My grandfather’s name was John Roach from Cork, but I’ve had no luck tracing his history.
We traced my wife’s lineage through her grandmother’s name, McCleary, and were able to trace back to Adam and Eve.
My youngest daughter’s name is Killoran. It’s a surname, and I found a little town in County Tipperary with the same name. It’s on my list of places to visit when I finally get to Ireland.
The so-called Scotch-Irish came from the Scottish lowlands and from the northern six counties of England. More actually came from England than from Scotland.
Some of my ancestors lived in Ireland, but I didn’t see their name on the list.
It’s Spencer. :)
(O) Malley - Mailey Ó Máille. (meall, peasant). A branch of the Cenél Eoghain located in Tyrone where their territory was known as ‘O’Mellan’s Country’. They were hereditary keepers of the Bell of St. Patrick.
O’Malley!
Good to know I’m descended from peasants!
Nothing’s changed!
My mom was a Gillespie. We always considered that Irish as Irish could be, but when my sister toured the country, the Irish she met said it really wasn’t, we were English.
The Gillespies had only been in the country for five or six hundred years or something, I guess. lol...
Onyx, you are royalty in our eyes :)
Well sure you may be descended from peasants but your family was the keeper of the Bell of St Patrick and that ought be worth something. Huh, do you have it, in a closet or something?
I find this name definition apropos to the Kennedy political crime family....
Kennedy- Ó Cinnéide (ceann, head-éidigh, ugly).
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