IRISH NAME
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A formal 'Irish-language name' consists of a given name and a surname, as in English. Surnames in Irish are generally patronymic in etymology, although they are no longer literal patronyms, as Icelandic names are. The form of a surname varies according to whether its bearer is male or female, and in the case of a married woman, whether she chooses to adopt her husband's surname.
An alternative traditional naming convention, not used for official purposes but generalised in ''GaeltachtaÃ'' or Irish-speaking areas, consists of the first name followed by a double patronym, usually with the father and grandfather's names. Sometimes the name of the mother or grandmother may be used instead of that of the father or grandfather.
A first name may be modified by an adjective to distinguish its bearer from other people with the same name. ''Óg'' "young" and ''Mór'' "big" are used to distinguish father and son, like English junior and senior, but are placed between the given name and the surname: ''Seán Óg Ó Súilleabháin'' corresponds to "John O'Sullivan, Jr."(although anglicised versions of the name often drop the "O'" from the name). Adjectives denoting hair color may also be used, especially informally: ''Pádraig Rua'' ("red-haired Patrick"), ''Máire Bhán'' ("fair-haired Mary").
In former times the word ''Beag''/''Beg'', meaning "little", would sometimes be used in place of ''Óg''. For example, the grandfather of James Cardinal Gibbons (1834-1921) of Baltimore was Luke Mor Gibbons; one of his sons, an uncle of Cardinal James, was known as Luke Beg (1804-1867). This did not necessarily indicate that the younger Luke was small in stature, merely younger than his father. Sometimes ''beag'' would be used to imply a baby was small at birth, particularly when the baby was born less than 9 months after marriage.
A man's surname generally takes the form ''Ó'' (originally "grandson") or ''Mac'' ("son") followed by the genitive case of a name, as in ''Ó Dónaill'' ("grandson of Dónall") or ''Mac Gearailt'' ("son of Gerald"). A son has the same surname as his father. A daughter's surname replaces ''Ó'' with ''NÃ'' (reduced from ''InÃon UÃ'' "daughter of the grandson of") and ''Mac'' with ''Nic'' (reduced from ''InÃon Mhic'' "daughter of the son of"); in both cases the following name undergoes lenition. Thus the daughter of a man named Ó Dónaill has the surname ''Nà Dhónaill'' and the daughter of a man named Mac Gearailt has the surname ''Nic Ghearailt''. If, however, the second part of the surname begins with the letter ''C'', it is not lenited after ''Nic'': ''Nic Carthaigh''.
If a woman marries, she may choose to take her husband's surname. In this case, ''Ó'' is replaced by ''Bean UÃ'' ("wife of the grandson of") and ''Mac'' by ''Bean Mhic'' ("wife of the son of"). In both cases ''bean'' may be omitted, in which case the woman uses simply ''UÃ'' or ''Mhic''. Again, the second part of the surname is lenited (unless it begins with ''C'', in which case it is only lenited after ''UÃ''). Thus a woman marrying a man named Ó Dónaill may choose to be use ''Bean Uà Dhónaill'' or ''Uà Dhónaill'' as her surname; a woman marrying a man named Mac Gearailt may choose to use ''Bean Mhic Ghearailt'' or ''Mhic Ghearailt''.
If the second part of the surname begins with a vowel, the form ''Ó'' attaches an ''h'' to it, as in ''Ó hUiginn'' (O'Higgins) or ''Ó hAodha'' (Hughes). The other forms effect no change: ''Nà Uiginn'', ''(Bean) Uà Uiginn''; ''Mac Aodha'', ''Nic Aodha'', ''Mhic Aodha'', and so forth.
''Mag'' is often used instead of ''Mac'' before a vowel or the silent ''fh''. ''Ua'' is an alternative form of ''Ó''.
Some names of Norman origin have the prefix ''Fitz'', from Latin ''filius'' "son", such as Fitzwilliam, Fitzpatrick, Fitzgerald, and so forth.
In Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) areas it remains customary to use a name composed of the first name, followed by the father's name in the genitive case, followed by the name of the paternal grandfather, also in the genitive. Thus Seán Ó Cathasaigh, son of Pól, son of Séamus, would be known to his neighbours as Seán Phóil Shéamuis. Occasionally, if the mother or grandmother was a well-known person locally, her name may be used instead of that of the father or grandfather. If the mother's name is used, then that of the maternal grandfather (or potentially grandmother) follows it, for example, Máire Sally Eoghain.
These names are not used for official purposes. Often a nickname or English version of a name is used in their composition where the person would use a standard Irish form in formal circumstances. For example, the prominent sean-nós singer Seán Mac Dhonnchadha is perhaps better known as Johnny MhairtÃn LearaÃ.
The Irish have a traditional system for naming children: the first son is named after the father's father, the second son after the mother's father, the third son after the father. The first daughter after the mother's mother, the second daughter after the father's mother, the third daughter after the mother. Any further children are named by the parents' choice. This has led to some spectacular names being made more common, for example there are plenty of Assumptas and Perpetuas, and many girls were named after Saints Theresa and Bernadette in the 1950s shortly after they were canonised. Many families still adhere to this way of naming children, although it is becoming less common nowadays with the influx of more secular names from the world of TV and popular music. Traditional names or Irish versions of Anglicised names are also used, e.g. Seán (from Norman French Jean), and Gráinne for Grace. It's possible for several cousins to have exactly the same name, eg. Daniel Murphy, if all their fathers were brothers, and they are named after the same grandfather. To avoid confusion a pet name may be used, or a middle name eg Daniel Patrick may be called Dan Pat, and Daniel John may be called Danny John.
For more information on Irish names and a list of Irish-language names, see List of Irish given names.
Many Irish people use English (or at least anglicised) forms of their names in English-language contexts and Irish forms in Irish-language contexts. The Irish names of some famous people include:
In some cases, for example ''Garrett FitzGerald'', "Mac Gearailt" is a translation to Irish from the Norman-derived "Fitzgerald".
Other people are better known by their Irish name than by their English name:
Many Irish given names were replaced by English equivalents that sounded something like the original Gaelic form (at least to English ears) but were etymologically unrelated. Examples include:
''Gaelic surnames:''
★ Ó Baoill / Ó Baoighill (Boyle, O'Boyle)
★ Ó Branagáin (O'Brannigan, Branagan, Brangan, Brannigan)
★ Ó Braonáin/Mac Braonáin (Brennan)
★ Ó Briain (O'Brien)
★ Ó Broin (Byrne)
★ Ó Cairbre (Carbery, Carberry)
★ Ó Caollaidhe (Kealy/Kiely)
★ Ó Catháin / Ó Cahan (O'Kane, Kane, McCain, Keane, Kean, Cain)
★ Ó Cathasaigh (Casey)
★ Ó Ceallacháin (O'Callaghan)
★ Ó Ceallaigh (Kelly)
★ Ó Cearnaigh (Carney/Carnie)
★ Ó Cillin (Killeen)
★ Ó Cinnéide (Kennedy)
★ Cinnseallaigh (Kinsella)
★ Ó Cionnaith (Kenny/Kenney)
★ Ó Cnáimhsà (Bonner)
★ Ó Coigligh (Quigley)
★ Ó Conchobhair/Ó Chonchúir (O'Connor, Connors)
★ Ó Conghaile/Mac Conghaile/Ó Cionnfhaolaidh (Connolly/Conneely/Kennelly)
★ Ó Conaill (O'Connell)
★ Ó Cuanaich/Ó Cuana (O'Cooney, Cooney)
★ Ó Cuilleain (O'Collins)
★ Ó Cuinn (Quinn)
★ Ó Cuinneagáin/Ó Cuinneacháin/Ó Connacháin/Ó Connagáin (Cunningham)
★ Ó Dálaigh (Daly/O'Daly/Daley)
★ Ó Déaghaidh (O'Dea, Day, O'Dee, Dee)
★ Ó Dochartaigh/Ó Dubhartaigh (Doherty)
★ Ó Doinn (O'Dunne/Dunne/Dunn)
★ Ó Domhnaill (O'Donnell)
★ Ó Donnchú, Ó Donncadh (O'Donoghue, O'Donohue)
★ Ó Dhuiling (Dowling)
★ Ó Dubhshláine (Delaney, Delany)
★ Ó Dubhthaigh (Duffy/O'Duffy)
★ Ó Duillearga (Delargy)
★ Ó Faoláin (Whelan, Phelan, Highland)
★ Ó Fearadhaigh (Ferry)
★ Ó Flaithbheartaigh (O Flaherty)
★ Ó Floinn (Flynn)
★ Ó Gadhra (O'Gara)
★ Ó Gallchobhair (Gallagher)
★ Ó hAinle (Hanly/Hanley)
★ Ó hAodha (Hughes/Hayes)
★ Ó hAonghusa (Hennessy)
★ Ó hAthairne (Harney)
★ Ó hEadhra (O'Hara)
★ Ó hEidhin (Hynes)
★ Ó hÉimhÃn (Evans)
★ Ó hÃcà (Hickey)
★ Ó hÓgáin (Hogan/O'Hagan)
★ Ó hUallacháin (Houlihan, Holohan, Holland, Mulholland)
★ Ó Loingsigh/Mac Loinsigh/(Lynch, Lynchy, Lynskey)
★ Ó Laochdha (Leahy)
★ Ó Laoidheach (Lee)
★ Ó Lapain (Lappin)
★ Ó Liathain (Lee)
★ Ó Lorcáin (Larkin)
★ Ó Luinigh (O'Looney, Looney, Loney)
★ Ó Mathúna (O'Mahony, O'Mahoney}
★ Ó Maoileanaigh (Mullaney, Mullany)
★ Ó Maoilriáin/Ó Riáin (Ryan)
★ Ó Maoláin (Mullins, Mullin, Mullen)
★ O Maolaighan (Milligan)
★ Ó Maonaigh (Mooney)
★ Ó Mordha/Mac Gilla Mhuire(Moore)
★ Ó Murchadha, Mac Murchaidh, Ó Muirchú (Murphy)
★ Ó Muircheartaigh (Moriarty, Murtagh, Murtha)
★ Ó Muireadhaigh (Murray)
★ Ó (or De or Mac) Muiris/ Muirgheas (Morris)
★ Ó Néill (O'Neill)
★ Ó Radhalaigh (O'Riley, O'Reilly)
★ Ó Ruairc (O'Rourke)
★ Ó Sirideain (Sheridan)
★ Ó Slatara (Slattery)
★ Ó Súilleabháin (O'Sullivan)
★ Ó Teamhnainn (Tynan)
★ Ó Tuama (Twomey, Toomey)
★ Ó Tuathail (O'Toole, Toohill)
★ Mac an Airchinnigh (McInerney/Kinnerk/Nerney)
★ Mac Amhlaidh (McAuley, McAwley, McCauley, McGauley)
★ Mac an Bháird (Ward, MacAward, McWard, MacEward, MacEvard, Macanward, M'Ward)
★ Mac an Bheatha (McVeigh)
★ Mac Aodha (Hughes/Hayes)
★ Mac Aoidh (McKee)
★ Mac Carthaigh (McCarthy, MacCarthy)
★ Mac Cinnéide (Kennedy)
★ Mac Con Fhiacla (Tuite)
★ Mac Cormaic (McCormack)
★ Mac Corraidh (McCorry)
★ Mac Craith (McGrath, Magrath)
★ Mac Cuinn (Quinn)
★ Mac Diarmaid (McDermott)
★ Mac Dubhdara (Darragh)
★ Mac Giolla Easpaig (Gillespie)
★ Mac Gilla Mhartain/Ó Mael Mairthin/Ó Mhairtin/Mac Mairtin (GilMartin, KilMartin, Martin, Martyn)
★ Mac Giolla BhrÃde (McBride)
★ Mac Giolla Mhuire/Mac Muireadhaigh/Ó Muireadhaigh(Murray)
★ Mac Fhirbhisigh (Forbes)
★ Mac Gille Mo Chuda (MacGillacuddy)
★ Mac Iomháir (McKeever)
★ Mac Maghnus (McManus)
★ Mac Muiris/ Mac Muirgheas (also Ó Muiris or, rarely, De Muiris) Morris
★ Mac Murchadha Caomhánach (Mac Murrough, Mac Morrow, Mac Murrough Kavanagh, Kavanagh)
★ Mac Lochlainn/Mac Loughlin/Ó Mael Sechlainn/Ó Mael Sechnaill/ (MacLoughlin)
★ Mac Piers (MacPierce/Pierce)
★ Mac Riabhaigh (McGreevy)
★ Mac Uidhir (Maguire/McGuire)
★ Mac Eochaidh (Keogh/Kehoe)
★ Ua Maol Dhómhnaigh (Downey, Gildowney, Maloney, many others)
''Viking surnames:''
★ Doyle, MacDougall, McDowell (Dubh Gall)
★ Harald (Haraldsson)
★ Higgins (h-Uiginn, i.e., a Viking)
★ MacAuliffe/Auley/Cauley (Olsson)
★ MacCottor (Ottarsson)
★ MacKitterick (Strigsson)
★ MacManus (Magnusson)
★ Wood (Wode, meaning mad; described Beserkers)
''Norman/Norman language surnames:''
★ Archdecon (le Ercedekne, Mac Óda)
★ Barry (de Barri/ de Barra)
★ Brett (le Breton or le Bret)
★ Brown (de Brún)
★ Burke (de Burgh/ de Búrca)
★ Cheevers (la Chieve)
★ Courcy (de Courcy)
★ de Bhaldraithe
★ Nagle (de Nagle)
★ FitzGerald (fils de (son of) Gerald)
★ FitzHenry (fils de (son of) Henri)
★ FitzStephen (fils de (son of) Stephen)
★ Henneberry (de Hionburgha)
★ Hussey (de Hose)
★ Jordan (fitz Jordan)
★ Lacey (de Lacy)
★ Loundon (de Loudon)
★ Lynch (de Lench)
★ Marron (de Marin)
★ Martyn (fitz Martin)
★ Moore (de Mórdha)
★ Morris (de Marisco, de Muiris, Mac Muiris, Ó Muiris)
★ Perry (de Poire)
★ Plunkett (Blanquet)
★ Power (le Poer/ de Paor)
★ Tuite (de Tiúit)
★ Wall (de Laval)
★ White/Whyte (de Faoite)
''Dutch surnames:''
★ Baldwin (Boudewijn)
★ Fleming (vlaming)
''Welsh surnames:''
★ Barrett (Bairéid, BarÏŒid)
★ Caddell (ap Cadel)
★ Cadogan (ap Cadwgn)
★ Conway (ap Conwy)
★ Griffin (ap Gruffydd)
★ Joyce (Sais)
★ Merrick (ap Meruig)
★ Rice (ap Rhys)
★ Rerys (ap Rerys)
★ Taffe (Daffydd)
★ Walsh (Breathnach)
''Cornish surnames:''
★ Penrose (ap Rhys)
★ Trevelyan
''Anglo-Saxon surnames:''
★ Ayleward (Ailwerd)
★ Dolphin (Dolfin)
★ Lawless (laighles)
★ Penney (Pingin)
★ Sherlock (Scurlóg)
★ Skerrett (Huscarl)
★ White (Fwyte)
''Gallowglass surnames:''
★ MacAllister
★ MacDonnell
★ MacSweeney
★ MacCaillein (Campbell)
★ MacInnes
''Normanised Gaelic surnames:''
★ FitzPatrick (Mac Giolla Phádraig)[1]
''Gaelicised Norman-era surnames:''
★ Mac Coisdealbhaigh (son of ''Josclyn'' de Nangle); anglicised as Costello.
★ Mac Fheorais (son of ''Piers'' de Bermingham); anglicised as Corish.
★ Mac Giobúin (son of ''Gilbert'' de Burgh); anglicised as Gibbons.
★ Mac SheoinÃn (son of ''Seán Óg'' de Burgh); anglicised as Jennings.
★ Mac Uilic (son of ''Ulick'' de Burgh of Umhall); anglicised as Gillick.
★ Mac Siurtáin (Jordan), patronymic of the d'Exeter family.
A list of Irish surnames in alphabetical order:
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
1. The Book of Ulster Surnames, , Robert, Bell, The Blackstaff Press, ,
★ Pretanic World - Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English Surnames and their Associations with Mythology and Ancient History
★ The Origins of Irish Surnames
★ Find Irish Family Names and their meanings
An alternative traditional naming convention, not used for official purposes but generalised in ''GaeltachtaÃ'' or Irish-speaking areas, consists of the first name followed by a double patronym, usually with the father and grandfather's names. Sometimes the name of the mother or grandmother may be used instead of that of the father or grandfather.
Epithets
A first name may be modified by an adjective to distinguish its bearer from other people with the same name. ''Óg'' "young" and ''Mór'' "big" are used to distinguish father and son, like English junior and senior, but are placed between the given name and the surname: ''Seán Óg Ó Súilleabháin'' corresponds to "John O'Sullivan, Jr."(although anglicised versions of the name often drop the "O'" from the name). Adjectives denoting hair color may also be used, especially informally: ''Pádraig Rua'' ("red-haired Patrick"), ''Máire Bhán'' ("fair-haired Mary").
In former times the word ''Beag''/''Beg'', meaning "little", would sometimes be used in place of ''Óg''. For example, the grandfather of James Cardinal Gibbons (1834-1921) of Baltimore was Luke Mor Gibbons; one of his sons, an uncle of Cardinal James, was known as Luke Beg (1804-1867). This did not necessarily indicate that the younger Luke was small in stature, merely younger than his father. Sometimes ''beag'' would be used to imply a baby was small at birth, particularly when the baby was born less than 9 months after marriage.
Surnames and prefixes
A man's surname generally takes the form ''Ó'' (originally "grandson") or ''Mac'' ("son") followed by the genitive case of a name, as in ''Ó Dónaill'' ("grandson of Dónall") or ''Mac Gearailt'' ("son of Gerald"). A son has the same surname as his father. A daughter's surname replaces ''Ó'' with ''NÃ'' (reduced from ''InÃon UÃ'' "daughter of the grandson of") and ''Mac'' with ''Nic'' (reduced from ''InÃon Mhic'' "daughter of the son of"); in both cases the following name undergoes lenition. Thus the daughter of a man named Ó Dónaill has the surname ''Nà Dhónaill'' and the daughter of a man named Mac Gearailt has the surname ''Nic Ghearailt''. If, however, the second part of the surname begins with the letter ''C'', it is not lenited after ''Nic'': ''Nic Carthaigh''.
If a woman marries, she may choose to take her husband's surname. In this case, ''Ó'' is replaced by ''Bean UÃ'' ("wife of the grandson of") and ''Mac'' by ''Bean Mhic'' ("wife of the son of"). In both cases ''bean'' may be omitted, in which case the woman uses simply ''UÃ'' or ''Mhic''. Again, the second part of the surname is lenited (unless it begins with ''C'', in which case it is only lenited after ''UÃ''). Thus a woman marrying a man named Ó Dónaill may choose to be use ''Bean Uà Dhónaill'' or ''Uà Dhónaill'' as her surname; a woman marrying a man named Mac Gearailt may choose to use ''Bean Mhic Ghearailt'' or ''Mhic Ghearailt''.
If the second part of the surname begins with a vowel, the form ''Ó'' attaches an ''h'' to it, as in ''Ó hUiginn'' (O'Higgins) or ''Ó hAodha'' (Hughes). The other forms effect no change: ''Nà Uiginn'', ''(Bean) Uà Uiginn''; ''Mac Aodha'', ''Nic Aodha'', ''Mhic Aodha'', and so forth.
''Mag'' is often used instead of ''Mac'' before a vowel or the silent ''fh''. ''Ua'' is an alternative form of ''Ó''.
Some names of Norman origin have the prefix ''Fitz'', from Latin ''filius'' "son", such as Fitzwilliam, Fitzpatrick, Fitzgerald, and so forth.
Traditional Gaeltacht names
In Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) areas it remains customary to use a name composed of the first name, followed by the father's name in the genitive case, followed by the name of the paternal grandfather, also in the genitive. Thus Seán Ó Cathasaigh, son of Pól, son of Séamus, would be known to his neighbours as Seán Phóil Shéamuis. Occasionally, if the mother or grandmother was a well-known person locally, her name may be used instead of that of the father or grandfather. If the mother's name is used, then that of the maternal grandfather (or potentially grandmother) follows it, for example, Máire Sally Eoghain.
These names are not used for official purposes. Often a nickname or English version of a name is used in their composition where the person would use a standard Irish form in formal circumstances. For example, the prominent sean-nós singer Seán Mac Dhonnchadha is perhaps better known as Johnny MhairtÃn LearaÃ.
First or given names
The Irish have a traditional system for naming children: the first son is named after the father's father, the second son after the mother's father, the third son after the father. The first daughter after the mother's mother, the second daughter after the father's mother, the third daughter after the mother. Any further children are named by the parents' choice. This has led to some spectacular names being made more common, for example there are plenty of Assumptas and Perpetuas, and many girls were named after Saints Theresa and Bernadette in the 1950s shortly after they were canonised. Many families still adhere to this way of naming children, although it is becoming less common nowadays with the influx of more secular names from the world of TV and popular music. Traditional names or Irish versions of Anglicised names are also used, e.g. Seán (from Norman French Jean), and Gráinne for Grace. It's possible for several cousins to have exactly the same name, eg. Daniel Murphy, if all their fathers were brothers, and they are named after the same grandfather. To avoid confusion a pet name may be used, or a middle name eg Daniel Patrick may be called Dan Pat, and Daniel John may be called Danny John.
For more information on Irish names and a list of Irish-language names, see List of Irish given names.
Partial list of anglicised surnames
Many Irish people use English (or at least anglicised) forms of their names in English-language contexts and Irish forms in Irish-language contexts. The Irish names of some famous people include:
| English/anglicised name | Irish name |
|---|---|
| Gerry Adams | Gearóid Mac Ãdhaimh |
| Bertie Ahern | Parthalán Ó hEachthairne |
| Moya Brennan | Máire Nà Bhraonáin |
| Patrick Brontë | Padraig mac Aedh Ó Proinntigh |
| Michael Collins | MÃcheál Ó Coileáin |
| Liam Cosgrave | Liam Mac Cosgair |
| William Thomas Cosgrave | Liam Tomás Mac Cosgair |
| Garret FitzGerald | Gearalt Mac Gearailt |
| Charles Haughey | Cathal Ó hEochaidh |
| Douglas Hyde | Dubhghlas de hÃde |
| Geoffrey Keating | Seathrún Céitinn |
| Jack Lynch | Seán Ó Loingsigh |
| Mary McAleese | Máire Mhic Ghiolla Ãosa |
| Turlough O'Carolan | Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin |
| Seán T. O'Kelly | Seán T. Ó Ceallaigh |
| Kevin O'Higgins | CaoimhÃn Ó hUiginn |
| Grace O'Malley | Gráinne Nà Mháille |
| Thomas Francis O'Rahilly | Tomás Phroinsias Ó Rathaille |
| Patrick Pearse | Pádraig Mac Piarais |
| Albert Reynolds | Ailbhe Mac Raghnaill |
| Mary Robinson | Máire Mhic RóibÃn |
| Gerard Toal | Gearóid Ó Tuathail |
In some cases, for example ''Garrett FitzGerald'', "Mac Gearailt" is a translation to Irish from the Norman-derived "Fitzgerald".
Partial list of Gaelic surnames
Other people are better known by their Irish name than by their English name:
| Irish (Gaelic) name | English/anglicised form |
|---|---|
| Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh - though neither Dubhaltach or Fibrisigh correspond to the Anglicised forms | Dudley Forbes |
| Ruaidhrà Ó Flaithbheartaigh | Roderick O'Flaherty |
| Flaithrà Ó Maolconaire | Florence Conry (1560-1629, Archbishop of Tuam) |
| Seán Bán Breathnach | "White" John Walsh |
| Séamus Ó Grianna | James Greene - though Grianna does not correspond etymologically to the English name "Green" or "Greene" |
| Gráinne Seoige | Grace Joyce - though Gráinne does not correspond to Grace |
| Eiléan Nà Chuilleanáin | Ellen Cullen |
| Antoine Ó Raifteiri | Anthony Raftery |
| Proinsias Mac Cana | Francis McCann |
| Proinsias De Rossa | Frank Ross |
| Pádraig Ó Riain | Patrick Ryan |
| Pádraig Ó Fiannachta | Patrick Finnerty |
| Lorcan Ua Tuathail | Laurence O'Toole - though "Lorcan" is not related to the name "Laurence" |
| Dara Ó Briain | Darragh O'Brien |
Common equivalent forms of Christian names in Irish and English
Many Irish given names were replaced by English equivalents that sounded something like the original Gaelic form (at least to English ears) but were etymologically unrelated. Examples include:
| Irish (Gaelic) name | English/anglicised form |
|---|---|
| Aodh | Hugh |
| Aoibhe | Eva |
| Aoife | Eve |
| CaoimhÃn | Kevin |
| Cathal | Charles |
| Cú Chonnacht | Constantine |
| Seán | John |
| Donnchadh | Dennis |
| Domhnall / Dónall | Daniel |
| Éamon(n) | Edward |
| Fearganainm | Ferdinand |
| Fionnuala / Nuala | Frances |
| Giolla na Naomh | Nehemiah |
| SÃle | Sheila/Cicilia |
| Gráinne | Grace |
| Maol Mhuire | Myles |
| Maoileachlainn | Malachy |
| Pádraig | Patrick |
| Siobhán | Joan |
| Sorcha/Saoirse | Sarah |
| Tadhg | Timothy |
| Tomaltchach | Thomas or Timothy |
| Tomás | Thomas |
| Toirdhealbhach | Terence |
| Úna | Agnes |
Irish surnames in Irish and English
''Gaelic surnames:''
★ Ó Baoill / Ó Baoighill (Boyle, O'Boyle)
★ Ó Branagáin (O'Brannigan, Branagan, Brangan, Brannigan)
★ Ó Braonáin/Mac Braonáin (Brennan)
★ Ó Briain (O'Brien)
★ Ó Broin (Byrne)
★ Ó Cairbre (Carbery, Carberry)
★ Ó Caollaidhe (Kealy/Kiely)
★ Ó Catháin / Ó Cahan (O'Kane, Kane, McCain, Keane, Kean, Cain)
★ Ó Cathasaigh (Casey)
★ Ó Ceallacháin (O'Callaghan)
★ Ó Ceallaigh (Kelly)
★ Ó Cearnaigh (Carney/Carnie)
★ Ó Cillin (Killeen)
★ Ó Cinnéide (Kennedy)
★ Cinnseallaigh (Kinsella)
★ Ó Cionnaith (Kenny/Kenney)
★ Ó Cnáimhsà (Bonner)
★ Ó Coigligh (Quigley)
★ Ó Conchobhair/Ó Chonchúir (O'Connor, Connors)
★ Ó Conghaile/Mac Conghaile/Ó Cionnfhaolaidh (Connolly/Conneely/Kennelly)
★ Ó Conaill (O'Connell)
★ Ó Cuanaich/Ó Cuana (O'Cooney, Cooney)
★ Ó Cuilleain (O'Collins)
★ Ó Cuinn (Quinn)
★ Ó Cuinneagáin/Ó Cuinneacháin/Ó Connacháin/Ó Connagáin (Cunningham)
★ Ó Dálaigh (Daly/O'Daly/Daley)
★ Ó Déaghaidh (O'Dea, Day, O'Dee, Dee)
★ Ó Dochartaigh/Ó Dubhartaigh (Doherty)
★ Ó Doinn (O'Dunne/Dunne/Dunn)
★ Ó Domhnaill (O'Donnell)
★ Ó Donnchú, Ó Donncadh (O'Donoghue, O'Donohue)
★ Ó Dhuiling (Dowling)
★ Ó Dubhshláine (Delaney, Delany)
★ Ó Dubhthaigh (Duffy/O'Duffy)
★ Ó Duillearga (Delargy)
★ Ó Faoláin (Whelan, Phelan, Highland)
★ Ó Fearadhaigh (Ferry)
★ Ó Flaithbheartaigh (O Flaherty)
★ Ó Floinn (Flynn)
★ Ó Gadhra (O'Gara)
★ Ó Gallchobhair (Gallagher)
★ Ó hAinle (Hanly/Hanley)
★ Ó hAodha (Hughes/Hayes)
★ Ó hAonghusa (Hennessy)
★ Ó hAthairne (Harney)
★ Ó hEadhra (O'Hara)
★ Ó hEidhin (Hynes)
★ Ó hÉimhÃn (Evans)
★ Ó hÃcà (Hickey)
★ Ó hÓgáin (Hogan/O'Hagan)
★ Ó hUallacháin (Houlihan, Holohan, Holland, Mulholland)
★ Ó Loingsigh/Mac Loinsigh/(Lynch, Lynchy, Lynskey)
★ Ó Laochdha (Leahy)
★ Ó Laoidheach (Lee)
★ Ó Lapain (Lappin)
★ Ó Liathain (Lee)
★ Ó Lorcáin (Larkin)
★ Ó Luinigh (O'Looney, Looney, Loney)
★ Ó Mathúna (O'Mahony, O'Mahoney}
★ Ó Maoileanaigh (Mullaney, Mullany)
★ Ó Maoilriáin/Ó Riáin (Ryan)
★ Ó Maoláin (Mullins, Mullin, Mullen)
★ O Maolaighan (Milligan)
★ Ó Maonaigh (Mooney)
★ Ó Mordha/Mac Gilla Mhuire(Moore)
★ Ó Murchadha, Mac Murchaidh, Ó Muirchú (Murphy)
★ Ó Muircheartaigh (Moriarty, Murtagh, Murtha)
★ Ó Muireadhaigh (Murray)
★ Ó (or De or Mac) Muiris/ Muirgheas (Morris)
★ Ó Néill (O'Neill)
★ Ó Radhalaigh (O'Riley, O'Reilly)
★ Ó Ruairc (O'Rourke)
★ Ó Sirideain (Sheridan)
★ Ó Slatara (Slattery)
★ Ó Súilleabháin (O'Sullivan)
★ Ó Teamhnainn (Tynan)
★ Ó Tuama (Twomey, Toomey)
★ Ó Tuathail (O'Toole, Toohill)
★ Mac an Airchinnigh (McInerney/Kinnerk/Nerney)
★ Mac Amhlaidh (McAuley, McAwley, McCauley, McGauley)
★ Mac an Bháird (Ward, MacAward, McWard, MacEward, MacEvard, Macanward, M'Ward)
★ Mac an Bheatha (McVeigh)
★ Mac Aodha (Hughes/Hayes)
★ Mac Aoidh (McKee)
★ Mac Carthaigh (McCarthy, MacCarthy)
★ Mac Cinnéide (Kennedy)
★ Mac Con Fhiacla (Tuite)
★ Mac Cormaic (McCormack)
★ Mac Corraidh (McCorry)
★ Mac Craith (McGrath, Magrath)
★ Mac Cuinn (Quinn)
★ Mac Diarmaid (McDermott)
★ Mac Dubhdara (Darragh)
★ Mac Giolla Easpaig (Gillespie)
★ Mac Gilla Mhartain/Ó Mael Mairthin/Ó Mhairtin/Mac Mairtin (GilMartin, KilMartin, Martin, Martyn)
★ Mac Giolla BhrÃde (McBride)
★ Mac Giolla Mhuire/Mac Muireadhaigh/Ó Muireadhaigh(Murray)
★ Mac Fhirbhisigh (Forbes)
★ Mac Gille Mo Chuda (MacGillacuddy)
★ Mac Iomháir (McKeever)
★ Mac Maghnus (McManus)
★ Mac Muiris/ Mac Muirgheas (also Ó Muiris or, rarely, De Muiris) Morris
★ Mac Murchadha Caomhánach (Mac Murrough, Mac Morrow, Mac Murrough Kavanagh, Kavanagh)
★ Mac Lochlainn/Mac Loughlin/Ó Mael Sechlainn/Ó Mael Sechnaill/ (MacLoughlin)
★ Mac Piers (MacPierce/Pierce)
★ Mac Riabhaigh (McGreevy)
★ Mac Uidhir (Maguire/McGuire)
★ Mac Eochaidh (Keogh/Kehoe)
★ Ua Maol Dhómhnaigh (Downey, Gildowney, Maloney, many others)
''Viking surnames:''
★ Doyle, MacDougall, McDowell (Dubh Gall)
★ Harald (Haraldsson)
★ Higgins (h-Uiginn, i.e., a Viking)
★ MacAuliffe/Auley/Cauley (Olsson)
★ MacCottor (Ottarsson)
★ MacKitterick (Strigsson)
★ MacManus (Magnusson)
★ Wood (Wode, meaning mad; described Beserkers)
''Norman/Norman language surnames:''
★ Archdecon (le Ercedekne, Mac Óda)
★ Barry (de Barri/ de Barra)
★ Brett (le Breton or le Bret)
★ Brown (de Brún)
★ Burke (de Burgh/ de Búrca)
★ Cheevers (la Chieve)
★ Courcy (de Courcy)
★ de Bhaldraithe
★ Nagle (de Nagle)
★ FitzGerald (fils de (son of) Gerald)
★ FitzHenry (fils de (son of) Henri)
★ FitzStephen (fils de (son of) Stephen)
★ Henneberry (de Hionburgha)
★ Hussey (de Hose)
★ Jordan (fitz Jordan)
★ Lacey (de Lacy)
★ Loundon (de Loudon)
★ Lynch (de Lench)
★ Marron (de Marin)
★ Martyn (fitz Martin)
★ Moore (de Mórdha)
★ Morris (de Marisco, de Muiris, Mac Muiris, Ó Muiris)
★ Perry (de Poire)
★ Plunkett (Blanquet)
★ Power (le Poer/ de Paor)
★ Tuite (de Tiúit)
★ Wall (de Laval)
★ White/Whyte (de Faoite)
''Dutch surnames:''
★ Baldwin (Boudewijn)
★ Fleming (vlaming)
''Welsh surnames:''
★ Barrett (Bairéid, BarÏŒid)
★ Caddell (ap Cadel)
★ Cadogan (ap Cadwgn)
★ Conway (ap Conwy)
★ Griffin (ap Gruffydd)
★ Joyce (Sais)
★ Merrick (ap Meruig)
★ Rice (ap Rhys)
★ Rerys (ap Rerys)
★ Taffe (Daffydd)
★ Walsh (Breathnach)
''Cornish surnames:''
★ Penrose (ap Rhys)
★ Trevelyan
''Anglo-Saxon surnames:''
★ Ayleward (Ailwerd)
★ Dolphin (Dolfin)
★ Lawless (laighles)
★ Penney (Pingin)
★ Sherlock (Scurlóg)
★ Skerrett (Huscarl)
★ White (Fwyte)
''Gallowglass surnames:''
★ MacAllister
★ MacDonnell
★ MacSweeney
★ MacCaillein (Campbell)
★ MacInnes
''Normanised Gaelic surnames:''
★ FitzPatrick (Mac Giolla Phádraig)[1]
''Gaelicised Norman-era surnames:''
★ Mac Coisdealbhaigh (son of ''Josclyn'' de Nangle); anglicised as Costello.
★ Mac Fheorais (son of ''Piers'' de Bermingham); anglicised as Corish.
★ Mac Giobúin (son of ''Gilbert'' de Burgh); anglicised as Gibbons.
★ Mac SheoinÃn (son of ''Seán Óg'' de Burgh); anglicised as Jennings.
★ Mac Uilic (son of ''Ulick'' de Burgh of Umhall); anglicised as Gillick.
★ Mac Siurtáin (Jordan), patronymic of the d'Exeter family.
See also
A list of Irish surnames in alphabetical order:
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References
1. The Book of Ulster Surnames, , Robert, Bell, The Blackstaff Press, ,
External links
★ Pretanic World - Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English Surnames and their Associations with Mythology and Ancient History
★ The Origins of Irish Surnames
★ Find Irish Family Names and their meanings
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