Irish name

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 Gaeltachtaí 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 Craig H. Barker, 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 - and premature - 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 Ní (reduced from Iníon Uí "daughter of the grandson of") and Mac with Nic (reduced from Iníon 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 Ní Dhónaill and the daughter of a man named Mac Gearailt has the surname Nic Gearailt. If, however, the second part of the surname begins with the letter C or G, it is not lenited after Nic: Nic Carthaigh, Nic Gearailt.

If a woman marries, she may choose to take her husband's surname. In this case, Ó is replaced by Bean Uí ("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 Uí or Mhic. Again, the second part of the surname is lenited (unless it begins with C, in which case it is only lenited after Uí). Thus a woman marrying a man named Ó Dónaill may choose to be use Bean Uí Dhónaill or Uí Dhónaill as her surname; a woman marrying a man named Mac Gearailt may choose to use Bean Mhic Gearailt or Mhic Gearailt.

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: Ní Uiginn, (Bean) Uí 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, Fitzgerald, and so forth.

• Hassan may have an eastern look but in Ireland it is the anglicized form of Ó hOsáin. It is to be distinguished from Ó hOisín and Ó hOiseáin (see Hession and Hishon). In County Londonderry, where it is numerous, it is spelt Hassan, Hassen and Hasson. In the Monaghan Hearth Money Rolls of 1663 it appears as O'Hassan. There was a Hasson of Wexford among the "principal gentlemen" of that county in 1598, but that family was no doubt of non-Gaelic stock and a John Hassan was an influential merchant in Wexford fifty years earlier.

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 Mhairtín Learaí.

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, like Gráinne, Áine and Cathal, or Irish versions of Norman names, such as Seán (from Norman French Jean), Siobhán and Sinéad, are also very common. 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. Though it has been seen in older high class families were family records are present that the child's name can be that of an ancestors or famous person, such thing is most prominent in the isolated families, such as the Mac Diamadas of Limerick and the Mac Gillachs of Donegal whose families have dated back to the 10th century.

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 Ádhaimh
Bertie Ahern	Parthalán Ó hEachthairn
Moya Brennan	Máire Ní Bhraonáin
Patrick Brontë	Padraig mac Aedh Ó Proinntigh
Erskine Childers	Earchta Ó Slatiascaigh
Michael Collins	Mícheál 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 hÍde
Geoffrey Keating	Seathrún Céitinn
Jack Lynch	Seán Ó Loingsigh
Mary McAleese	Máire Nic Ghiolla Íosa
Turlough O'Carolan	Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin
Seán T. O'Kelly	Seán T. Ó Ceallaigh
Kevin O'Higgins	Caoimhín Ó hUiginn
Grace O'Malley	Gráinne Ní Mháille
Thomas Francis O'Rahilly	Tomás Phroinsias Ó Rathaille
Patrick Pearse	Pádraig Mac Piarais
Albert Reynolds	Ailbhe Mac Raghnaill
Mary Robinson	Máire Nic Róibín
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
Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh	Roderick O'Flaherty
Flaithrí 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
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin	Ellen Cullen
Antoine Ó Raifteiri	Anthony Raftery
Proinsias Mac Cana	Francis McCann
Proinsias De Rossa	Frank Ross
Pádraig Ó Riain	Patrick Ryan
Padraig Ó Síocháin	P. A. Sheehan
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
Doireann Ní Bhriain	Doreen 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
Cathal	Charles
Concubhair/Cruthair	Conor
Cú Chonnacht	Constantine
Dáithí	David
Donnchadh	Dennis
Domhnall / Dónall	Daniel
Éamon(n)	Edward
Fearganainm	Ferdinand
Fionnuala / Nuala	Fionnuala / Nuala
Giolla na Naomh	Nehemiah
Gráinne	Grace
Seán	John
Risteard	Richard
Lorcan/Lorcán/Lorccan	Lauren/Lawrence
Maol Mhuire	Myles
Maoileachlainn	Malachy
Pádraig	Patrick
Sorcha/Saoirse	Sarah
Tadhg	Timothy
Tomaltchach	Thomas or Timothy
Toirdhealbhach	Terence
Treasa	Teresa/Theresa
Proinsias/Proinseas	Francis/Frances
Úna	Agnes

Irish surnames in Irish and English

Gaelic surnames:

• Annlúin / O hAnnlúinn (Hanlon, O'Hanlon)
• 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, Byrnes, Burns)
• Ó Broithe (Brophy)
• Ó Cadhla (Kiely)
• Ó Cairbre (Carbery, Carberry)
• Ó Caoimh (O'Keeffe,O'Keefe)
• Ó Caollaidhe (Kealy, Keely, Queally)
• Ó Catháin / Ó Cahan (O'Kane, Kane, McCain, Keane, Kean, Cain)
• Ó Cathal (Cahill)
• Ó Cathasaigh (Casey)
• Ó Ceallacháin (O'Callaghan)
• Ó Ceallaigh (Kelly)
• Ó Cearnaigh (Kearney/Carney/Carnie)
• Ó Ceanndubhain (O'Canavan/Canavan/Kinavan)
• Ó Cillin (Killeen)
• Ó Cinnéide (Kennedy)
• Cinnseallaigh (Kinsella)
• Ó Cionnaith (Kenny, Kenney)
• Ó/Mac Cnáimhsí (Bonner, Kneafsey)
• Ó Coigligh (Quigley)
• Ó Conchobhair/Ó Conchúir (O'Connor, Connors)
• Ó Con Fhiacla (Tuite)
• Ó Conghaile/Mac Conghaile/Ó Cionnfhaolaidh (Connolly/Conneely/Kennelly)
• Ó Conaing (O'Gunning/Gunning/Cunning))
• Ó Conaill (O'Connell)
• Ó Crabháin (Creaven/Craven)
• Ó Cuanaich/Ó Cuana (O'Cooney, Cooney)
• Ó Coileáin (Collins)
• Ó Crúalaí (Crowley)
• Ó Cuinn (Quinn)
• Ó Cuinneagáin/Ó Cuinneacháin/Ó Connacháin/Ó Connagáin (Cunningham)
• Ó Dálaigh (Daly/O'Daly/Daley/Daily/Daeley)
• Ó Déaghaidh (O'Dea, Day, O'Dee, Dee)
• Ó Diomasach (O'Dempsey, Dempsey)
• Ó Dochartaigh/Ó Dubhartaigh (Doherty)
• Ó Doinn (O'Dunne/Dunne/Dunn)
• Ó Dónaill (O'Donnell)
• Ó Donnchú, Ó Donncadha (O'Donoghue, O'Donohue)
• Ó Dhuiling (Dowling)
• Ó Dubhda (Dowd/O'Dowd)
• Ó Dubhshláine (Delaney, Delany)
• Ó Dubhthaigh (Duffy/O'Duffy)
• Ó Duillearga (Delargy)
• Ó Faoláin (Whelan, Whalen, Phelan)
• Ó Fearadhaigh (Ferry)
• Ó Fearghail (O'Farrell)
• Ó Flaithbheartaigh (O Flaherty)
• Ó Floinn (Flynn)
• Ó Fuartháin (Ford, Forde)
• Ó Gadhra (O'Gara, Geary)
• Ó Gallchobhair (Gallagher)
• Ó/Mac Gormáin (O'Gorman, Gorman)
• Ó Gribín (Gribbin,Gribbon,Gribben)
• Ó hAinle (Hanly/Hanley, O'Hanley)
• Ó hAodha (Hughes, Hayes)
• Ó hAonghusa (Hennessy)
• Ó hAoláin (Hyland, O'Hyland)
• Ó hAthairne (Harney)
• Ó hEalaighthe (Healey, Healy, Haley)
• Ó hEadhra (O'Hara)
• Ó hEidhin (Hynes)
• Ó hÉimhín (Evans)
• Ó hIcí (Hickey)
• Ó hIceadh (Hickey)
• Ó hÓgáin (Hogan/O'Hagan)
• Ó hÓisín (Hassan (surname), Hasson, Hassen, Hassin, O'Hassan)
• Ó hÓsáin (Hassan (surname), Hasson, Hassen, Hassin, O'Hassan)
• Ó hUallacháin (Houlihan, Holohan, Holland, Mulholland)
• Ó hÚbáin (Hoban)
• Ó Loingsigh/Mac Loinsigh/(Lynch, Lynchy, Lynskey, Lindsay)
• Ó Laochdha (Leahy)
• Ó Laoidheach (Lee)
• Ó Lapain (Lappin)
• Ó Liathain (Lee, Lehane)
• Ó Lorcáin (Larkin, Lawrence)
• Ó Luinigh (O'Looney, Looney, Loney, Lunney)
• Ó Máille (O'Malley, Melia)
• Ó Mathúna/Ó Mathghamhna (O'Mahony, O'Mahoney}
• Ó Maoileanaigh (Mullaney, Mullany)
• Ó Maoileoin (Malone)
• Ó Maoilriáin/Ó Riáin (Ryan)
• Ó Maoláin (Mullins, Mullin, Mullen, Moylan, Mullane)
• Ó Maolagáin (Milligan, Mulligan)
• Ó Maoldomhnaigh (Moloney, Maloney, Muldowney)
• Ó Maonaigh (Mooney, Meaney)
• Ó Mordha/Mac Giolla 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, O'Neil, O'Neal)
• Ó Raghallaigh (O'Riley, O'Reilly)
• Ó Rathaille (O'Rahilly)
• Ó Riordáin (O'Riordan, Reardan)
• Ó Roideacháin (Redehan, Redican, Rodahan, Redington, Reddington, Reddan)
• Ó Ruairc (O'Rourke)
• Ó Scannail(Scannell)
• Ó Síocháin (Sheehan)
• Ó Siochfhradha (Shugrue, Sugrue, Sughrue)
• Ó Sirideain (Sheridan)
• Ó Slatara (Slattery)
• Ó Súilleabháin (O'Sullivan)
• Ó Teamhnainn (Tynan)
• Ó Tnúthghail (Knowles)
• Ó Tuama (Twomey, Toomey)
• Ó Tuathaigh (Tuohy,Twohig,Touhy,Towey,Toohy,Toohey)
• Ó Tuathail (O'Toole, Toohill, Toal)
• Ó Tuathailán (Tolan)
• Mac Ádaim (Adams, McAdams)
• 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, McGee, Magee, McHugh, Mackey)
• Mac Aoidh (McKee)
• Mac Carthaigh (McCarthy, MacCarthy)
• Mac Cinnéide (Kennedy)
• Mac Cormaic (McCormack)
• Mac Corraidh (McCorry)
• Mac Craith (McGrath, Magrath)
• Mac Cuinn (Quinn)
• Mac Cuarta (McCourt)
• Mac Diarmada (McDermott)
• Mac Donnchadha (McDonough, McDonogh, McDonagh)
• Mac Dubhdara (Darragh)
• Mac Giolla (Gill, McGill, Magill, Page)
• Mac Giolla Easpaig (Gillespie)
• Mac Gilla Mhartain/Ó Mael Mairthin/Ó Mhairtin/Mac Mairtin (GilMartin, KilMartin, Martin, Martyn)
• Mac Giolla Bhríde (McBride)
• Mac Giolla Mhuire (Murray, Gilmore, Kilmurray)
• Mac Giolla Riabhaigh (Gallery, Gilrea, Kilrea)
• Mac Giolla Rua (Gilroy, Kilroy, McIlroy, McElroy)
• Mac Muireadhaigh/Ó Muireadhaigh (Murray)
• Mac Fhearraigh/Mag Fhearraigh (McGarry, McCarry, Ferry, Farry)
• Mac Fhirbhisigh (Forbes)
• Mac Giolla Mo Chuda (MacGillacuddy)
• Mac Iomháir (McKeever)
• Mac Maghnus (McManus)
• Mac Muiris/ Mac Muirgheas (also Ó Muiris or, rarely, De Muiris) (Morris, Fitzmaurice)
• 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 (Mac Reevy, MacReevy, MacReavy, Mac/McCreevy, Mac/McGreevy)
• Mas Suibhne (McSweeney, MacSweeney, MacSwiney etc)
• Mac Uidhir/Mag Uidhir (Maguire/McGuire)
• Mac Thoirealaigh (Curley)
• Mac Eochaidh (Keogh/Kehoe)
• Ua Maol Dhómhnaigh (Downey, Gildowney, Maloney, many others)

Viking surnames:

• Doyle (Dubh Gall, Ó Dúill, Ó Dubhghaill)
• Finley, Fennelly (Fionn Ghall, Ó Fionnghaille)
• Harald (Haraldsson)
• Higgins (h-Uiginn, i.e., a Viking, Ó hUiginn)
• MacAuliffe/Auley/Cauley (Olsson, Mac Amhlaoibh)
• MacCottor (Ottarsson)
• MacDougall, McDowell (Mac Dubhghaill)
• McGinley, McKinley (Fionn Ghall, Mac Fionnghaille)
• MacKitterick (Strigsson)
• MacManus (Magnusson, Mac Mánuis)
• Wood (Wode, meaning mad; described Beserkers, Mac Giolla Choille)

Norman/Norman language surnames:

• Archdecon (le Ercedekne, Mac Óda)
• Barry (de Barri, de Barra)
• Brett (le Breton or le Bret)
• Brown (de Brun, de Brún)
• Burke (de Burgh, de Búrca)
• Butler (de Buitléir)
• Cheevers (la Chieve)
• Courcy (de Courcy)
• Dalton (de Alton or D'alton)
• Dukes (le Duc, de Diúc)
• Nagle (de Nagle)
• FitzGerald (fils de (son of) Gerald, Mac Gearailt)
• FitzHenry (fils de (son of) Henri, Mac Einrí)
• FitzMaurice (fils de (son of) Maurice, Mac Muiris)
• FitzStephen (fils de (son of) Stephen)
• Henneberry (de Hionburgha, de Hindenburg)
• Hussey (de Hose, Mac Eodhasa)
• Jordan (fitz Jordan, Ó Shiúrdáin)
• Lacey (de Lacy, de Lása)
• Loundon (de Loudon, de Lóndras)
• Lynch (de Lench, Ó Loingsigh)
• Marren (de Marin)
• Martyn (fitz Martin)
• Moore (de Mórdha)
• Morris (de Marisco, de Muiris, Mac Muiris, Ó Muiris)
• Prendergast (de Priondárgas, Priondárgas)
• Perry (de Poire)
• Plunkett (Blanquet, Pluincéad)
• Power (le Poer, de Paor)
• Roche (de Roiste)
• Sweetman (Suatman)
• Tuite (de Tiúit, Mac Con Fhiacla)
• Waldron (de Bhaldraithe)
• Wall (de Laval, de Bhál)
• White/Whyte (de Witt, de Faoite, Mac Giolla Bháin)

Dutch surnames:

• Baldwin (Boudewijn)
• Fleming (vlaming, Pleiminn)

Welsh surnames:

• Barrett (Bairéid, Barόid)
• Caddell (ap Cadel)
• Cadogan (ap Cadwgn)
• Conway (ap Conwy, Mac Conbhuí, Ó Conbhuí)
• Griffin (ap Gruffydd, Ó Gríofa)
• Joyce (Sais, Seoige)
• Merrick (ap Meruig)
• Rice (ap Rhys, Rís)
• 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)
• Williams (MacLiam)
• Whyte (Fwyte)

Gallowglass surnames:

• MacAllister
• MacDonnell
• MacSweeney
• MacCaillein (Campbell)
• MacInnes

Normanised Gaelic surnames:

• Fitzpatrick (Mac Giolla Phádraig)

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 Sheoinín (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.

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