Irish made a name for ourselves
One of world’s oldest surname systems originated in Ireland
ONE of the oldest surname systems in the world began in Ireland in the 900s at a time when Gaelic was the national language throughout the country.
Many of our surnames were spelled differently to what they are today,mostly due to Anglicisation.
They were Anglicised at home but also abroad when tens of thousands of people left the country from the 1700s.
Irish people have emigrated to the far parts of the Earth for centuries but the origins of their family names can still be traced back home and to their early meanings.
Thanks to the field of onomastics or onomatology – the study of names – Irish surnames’ meanings have been chronicled and preserved.
When the British came to Ireland, many family names beginning with O or Mc and Mac – meaning the son or grandson of – were dropped in a bid to avoid prejudice.
For example, O Murchadha (representing grandson of Murchadha and meaning sea warrior) became Murphy not O’murphy.
Other rich Irish family surnames like Mac Fithcheallaigh (son of Fithcheallaigh), which means chess player, became known as the modern surname Feeley.
A famous ancient surname is that of O’neill, which comes from the Northern Ui Neill in Ulster. They got their surname from one of their kings Niall Mac Aoidh (Niall son of Aodh) who died in 917AD.
One of the first recorded Irish surnames is O’clery (O Cleirigh), which emerged around 920AD in what is now modern Galway.
It derives from the Irish word “cleireach” meaning a clerk or cleric.
Tracing family trees with the help of genealogists and DNA kits is a popular hobby in the 21st century.
The original meaning of many Irish family surnames are already known, including Murphy (meaning sea warrior) and Feeley (meaning chess player).
Ireland’s most popular surname Murphy is also recorded as O Murchu, O Murchadha, O Murchadh, Mac Murchaidh, and Mac Murchadh.
Feeley has variations that include Fithcheallaigh and Mac Fithcheallaigh.
Casey or O’casey, Cathasaigh, O’cathasaigh, Cathaiseach, and O’cathaiseach means Vigilant or watchful. Sweeney or Mcsweeney and
Mac Suibhne mean son of the pleasant. There are others like O Briain, meaning descendant of Brian Boru, former High King of Ireland.
Sullivan, O’sullivan, or O Suilleabhain meaning descendant of either the dark-eyed, one-eyed, or hawk-eyed.
There is also Kelly, which is the second most common surname in Ireland, and its variations O’kelly and O Ceallaigh, all meaning warrior and descendant of Ceallach.
O’conor can be O’connor, O Conchobhair, or O Conchuir and all mean a descendant of the lover of hounds.
Brady or O Bradaigh and Mac Bradaigh means descendant of the spirited, while O’rourke or O Ruairc means descendant of Hrothrekr, a name brought to Ireland by Norse settlers.
Foley or O Foghlu or O Foghladha means descendant of the plunderer, while Mcdonnell or Mcdonald means Mac Dhomhnaill, son of the world ruler.
O’shea or O Seaghdha means descendant of the fortunate, while Mccarthy or Mac Carthaigh means son of Carthach, the loving one. Connolly or O Conghaile means descendant of the hound and valiant.
Sheehan or O Siodhachain means a descendant of the peaceful, while Murray or O Muiri both represent descendancy from Muireadhach, meaning servants of the Virgin Mary. Cullen or O Cuileain have meanings that could be derived from either Cuileann, meaning holly, or a variant of Coilean, meaning puppy.
O’leary or O’laoghaire means descendent of the calf keeper, while Loughlin, Mcloughlin and Mac Lochlainn mean son of the Vikings.
Fitzpatrick or Mac Giolla Phadraig means son of the follower of St Patrick.
Given names like Patrick also have Irish origins, with Patrick deriving from the Irish for Padraig and is known globally as that of Ireland’s national saint.
Patrick is the anglicisation of the Celtic original Padraig, but the Irish version has its roots in Latin and means noble. Other historical names include Allsun (Alison, meaning graceful) to Sean (Shaun, meaning gracious).