Origin
IRELAND : A name given to a native of that island. Ireland signifies West-land, from the Gaelic Iar, the West, and the Teutonic land, Welsh, Llan, a clear place, a lawn.
ADAIR : (Celtic and Gaelic.) Local. From Ath, a ford, and dare, from darach, the place of oaks, The ford of the oaks.'' There is the following tradition of the origin of this surname: Thomas, the sixth Earl of Desmond, while on a hunting excursion was benighted, and lost his way, between Tralee and Newcastle, in the county of Limerick, where he was received and hospitably entertained by one William McCormic, whose daughter he subsequently married. At this alliance, the family and clan took umbrage. Resigning his title and estate to his youngest brother, he fled to France in 1418, and died of grief at Rouen, two years afterward. The King of England attended his funeral. He had issue, Maurice and John; Robert, the son of Maurice, returning to Ireland, with the hope of regaining the estates and title of Thomas, his ancestor, slew Gerald, the White Knight in single combat at Athdare, the ford of the oaks, whence he received the name of Adaire. He embarked for Scotland, where he married Arabella, daughter of John Campbell, Lord of Argyle.
AGNEW : (Nor. Fr.) Local. From the town of Agneau in Normandy, whence the family originated. They went from England into Ireland with Strongbow. Agneau, in Nor. Fr. signifies a lamb.
ARMSTRONG : A name given for strength in battle. Historians relate the following tradition: This family was anciently settled on the Scottish border; their original name was Fairbairn, which was changed to Armstrong on the following occasion: An ancient king of Scotland having had his horse killed under him in battle, was immediately re-mounted by Fairbairn, his armor-bearer, on his own horse. For this timely assistance he amply rewarded him with lands on the borders, and to perpetuate the memory of so important a service, as well as the manner in which it was performed (for Fairbairn took the king by the thigh, and set him on the saddle), his royal master gave him the appellation of Armstrong. The chief seat of Johnnie Armstrong was Gilnockie, in Eskdale, a place of exquisite beauty. Johnnie was executed by order of James V., in 1529, as a Border Freebooter. Andrew Armstrong sold his patrimony to one of his kinsmen, and emigrated to the north of Ireland in the commencement of the seventeenth century. The Armstrongs were always noted for their courage and daring. In the Lay of the Last Minstrel, when the chief was about to assemble his clans, he says to his heralds: Ye need not go to Liddisdale, For whon they see the blazing bale, Elliots and Armstrongs never fail
BARROW : Local. A circular earthen mound, marking the place of interment of some noted person; also a place of defense. The name of a river in Ireland.
BEATTY : From the Celtic Biatach. Anciently, in Ireland, lands were assigned by the government to a certain number of persons who were appointed to keep houses of entertain-ment> and to exercise hospitality in the different provinces; they were called Biatachs. The office was considered honorable, and besides the lands assigned by the king, they were the lords of seven boroughs or villages, feeding seven herds of one hundred and twenty oxen each, besides the grain raised from seven ploughs every year. Beathaich, in the Gaelic, signifies to feed, nourish, to welcome, to support Beata mor Irish, to have a great estate. Beatha, Gaelic, life, food, welcome, salutation.
BELLEW : (Nor. Fr.) De Bellew, a corruption of De Belle Eau, that is, from the beautiful water. The family originally came from Italy; they went into England with William the Conqueror, and afterward settled in Meath, Ireland.
BLAKE : A corruption of the British Ap Lake, from Ap, signifying from, or son, and Lake, the son of Lake. The family went into Ireland with Strongbow, where the name became corrupted into Blake. Ap Lake was one of the knights of Arthur's Round Table.
BRIDE : (Gaelic.) From Brighid, a hostage, pledge, or security. The son of Bridget. Cormac, Archbishop of Cashel, in his glossary, defines Brighid fiery dart, and that it was the name of the Muse who was believed to preside over poetry, in pagan times, in Ireland. Breochuidh, a term given to those virgins who kept the perpetual fire of Beil or Belus among the Druids and ancient Celts.
BURKE : A corruption of (De) Burgo, as the name was formerly written, that is, from the fort, castle, hill, or city. This family went from Normandy into England with the Conqueror, and afterward into Ireland with Strongbow.
BUTLER : This family derive their origin from the old Counts of Briony or Biony, in Normandy, a descendant of whom, Herveius Fitz Walter, accompanied the Conqueror into England. His son, Theobold, went with Henry II into Ireland, where, having greatly assisted in the reduction of the kingdom, he was rewarded with large possessions there, and made it the place of his residence. The king afterward conferred on him the office of chief Butler of Ireland, whence his descendants, the Earls of Ormond and others, took the surname of De Boteler or Butler.
CLEARY : From the Gaelic Cleireach, a clerk, a clergyman, a writer. A noted family of historians whose estates were in the county of Donnegal, Ireland.
CLERY : From the Gaelic Cleireach, a clerk, a clergyman, a writer. A noted family of historians whose estates were in the county of Donnegal, Ireland.
CLINTON : (Dano-Norman.) Local. Klint, a promontory, brow of a hill, cape; and ton, a town. Colonel Charles Clinton, the progenitor of the distinguished family of Clinton, and his associate emigrants from Ireland, settled, in 1722, in Little Britain, Orange County, New York.
COLQUHOUN : According to tradition, the progenitor of this family was a younger son of Conach, King of. Ireland, who came to Scotland in the reign of Gregory the Great, and obtained lands in Dumbartonshire, to which he gave the name of Conachon, corrupted into Golquhoun. I am inclined to think the name is from the Gaelic, denoting one who is brave, lively, quick, and furious in battle; from Colg, and chwoin, the genitive of Cu, a hound, a war-dog;
CALHOUN : According to tradition, the progenitor of this family was a younger son of Conach, King of. Ireland, who came to Scotland in the reign of Gregory the Great, and obtained lands in Dumbartonshire, to which he gave the name of Conachon, corrupted into Golquhoun. I am inclined to think the name is from the Gaelic, denoting one who is brave, lively, quick, and furious in battle; from Colg, and chwoin, the genitive of Cu, a hound, a war-dog;
CONRY : Local. Gauir Conrigh a high mountain near Tralee, County of Kerry, Ireland.
FITZ GERALD : (Nor. Fr.) The son of Gerald, Fitz, a son, Gerald (Teutonic), all-surpassing, excellent. This ancient and honorable famlly is traced from Otho or Other, a Baron in Italy, descended from the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. Walter, son of Otho, came into England with William the Conqueror, and afterward settled in Ireland. Maurice Fitz Gerald assisted Richard Strongbow in the conquest of that kingdom.
GRACE : Originally Le Gros ( the fat or large ), a name given to Raymond, one of the adherents of Strongbow, wbo was the ancestor of the family in Ireland.
IRISH : A native of Ireland, the country from which the nominal founder of the family came.
KAVANAGH : (Celtic or Gaelic.) Coamhamach, mild, benevolent, merciful; a friend, a companion. Mr. John O'Donovan says, that Donnell Cavanagh was so called from having been fostered by the Coarb of St Cavan, at Kilcavan, in the present county of Wexford, Ireland.
LACY : Local. Derived from a place in France by that name Sire De Lacy came into England with William the Conqueror. The Lacys afterward settled in Ireland.
MAYO : Local. The name of a county and town in Ireland, the plain near the water, from Moi or Moy, Gaelic, a plain, Moy, a river, and ai, a region or territory; the region or tract on the river Moy.
MONROE : Local. Monadh Roe or Mont Roe, from the mount on the river Roe, in Ireland, whence the family came. Moine Roe, a mossy place on the Roe; M'unroe, from, of, or about the Roe. The river is sometimes written Munree.
NOGENT : Local. From the town of Nogent, in the province of Champagne, France. The Nugents went from England into Ireland in the time of Henry II.
O'QUIN : Anciently O'Con. The descendants of Con Ceadcaha, one of the early monarchs of Ireland.
PATRICK : From the Latin Patricius, noble, a senator; the name of the tutelary saint of Ireland.
SHANNON : (Gaelic.) From the Shannon, a river of Ireland. The tranquil, gentle river, from sen, gentle, and abhain, a river. Shan-eon, the tranquil river. S before a vowel, in the Gaelic, has the sound of sh. The river Seine, in France, has the same signification. Shanon the ancient river, from sean, old, and oun or obhain, a river.
SPIER : Spere, to ask, to inquire; a word used formerly in Scotland and the north of Ireland. The name may be from spear, a long-pointed weapon used in war, and given for some exploit in battle, or taken from a sign over an inn. John at the Spear.
Origin of name provided by Jean Tosti
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