HOW IRISH SURNAMES CHANGEHOW IRISH SURNAMES CHANGE

Diploma in Family History

IRISH SURNAME FORMATION IRISH SURNAME FORMATION

Brian Ború (d. 1014) Donal Mor Mathghamha Ua Briain Donogh Cairbre Ua Briain McMahons O’Briens Consaidín Ua Briain (d. 1193) Mac Consaidín (Considine)

NORMAN- IRISH SURNAME FORMATION NORMAN- IRISH SURNAME FORMATION

De Angulo family Nangle Jocelyn (Goisdelbh) de Angulo Mac Goisdealbhaigh (Costello)

De Burgo family Burkes Walter Burke Seanin Burke Myler Burke David Burke McWalter MacSheonín MacMyler MacDavid (Qualter) (Jennings) (Meyler)

NORMAN- IRISH SURNAME FORMATION

SURNAME EVOLUTIONSURNAME EVOLUTION

17th & 18th centuriesNew surnames (McGillicuddy)Collapse of Gaelic:

• Transliteration• Translation & pseudo-translation• Transposition

English surnames

TRANSLITERATIONTRANSLITERATION

Mac Conmara - MacNamaraÓ Mongabháin - Mongavan/Mugavan Ó Téacháin - Teehan/TeahonÓ Siocfhradha - Sugrue

TRANSLATIONTRANSLATION

Ó Cléirigh - ClarkeMac Gabhann - SmithMac Con Uisce/Ó Tuairisc - WatersMac an tSionnaigh - FoxMac an Dhéaghanaigh - Deane, Bird

TRANSPOSITIONTRANSPOSITION

Ó h-Arrachtáin/ Ó h-Iongardail: HarringtonÓ Brolacháin: BradleyÓ Connagáin: CunninghamMac Iolracháin: EagletonMac Giolla Fhionntáin: Clinton

SURNAME EVOLUTIONSURNAME EVOLUTION

19th & 20th centuriesO & Mac

1850s: O’Brien 44%, Brien/Bryan 56%1890: O’Brien, 63% Brien/Bryan 37%2004: O’Brien: 95% Brien/Bryan 5%

SURNAME EVOLUTIONSURNAME EVOLUTION

19th & 20th centuries• 1850s: McDermott 92%, Dermott 8%• 1890: McDermott, 97% Dermott 3%• 2004: McDermott, 100% Dermott 0%

SURNAME EVOLUTIONSURNAME EVOLUTION

19th & 20th centuries• 1850s: McKiernan 32%, Kiernan 68%

• 1890: McKiernan, 28% Kiernan 72%

• 2004: McKiernan, 9% Kiernan 91%

LOCALISED SURNAMESLOCALISED SURNAMES

TansyScahillMungovanSugrueBuggy …….

HUNTING SURNAME VARIANTSHUNTING SURNAME VARIANTS

Vowels mutate much more than consonantsAccents live in vowelsNames gravitate towards the familiarEverything changes

FREEMEN OF THE CITY OF DUBLINFREEMEN OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN

IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCHIMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH

Variants, variants and more variantsLocalised surnamesChanges in North AmericaContinued evolution (Cahill/Mahony)

SURNAME VARIANT SYSTEMSSURNAME VARIANT SYSTEMS

Soundex (widespread)Namex:

irishorigins.com

SURNAME VARIANT SYSTEMSSURNAME VARIANT SYSTEMSAd-hoc:

Family Search.com Roots Ireland.ie

Irish Times.com/ancestor

Bermingham

SURNAME VARIANT EXAMPLES SURNAME VARIANT EXAMPLES

Bermingham, Birmingham, Brimagem, Brimigan, , Bemingham, Bermigham, Bermyngham, Birmingane, Bremchan, Bremicham, Bremidgham, Bremigem, Bremigham, Bremingham, Brermingham, Brimegam, Brimegem, Brimeiam, Brimengham, Brimgham, Brimicombe, Brimidgham, Brimigham, Brimingam, Brimingham, Brimingjam, Briminjam, Brimisham, Bromagem, Bromegan, Bromegem, Brumagem, Brumagen, Brumegam, Brumigen, Brumigham, Brumingham, Brummegen, Brummingham

SURNAME VARIANT EXAMPLES SURNAME VARIANT EXAMPLES

LoughlinO'Loghlen , O'Loghlin , O'Loughlin , McLoughlin , McGloughlan , McLoghlin , Loughlin , Laughlin , McLaughlan , Loughlan , McGloughlin , McLoughlan , McLaughlin , Ó Lochlainn, Laghlen, Laghlin, Laughlen, Laughlon, Lawhlan, Leghlan, Leighlin, Loahlan, Lochlin, Locklin, Locklon, Loghlan, Loghlane, Louchlin, Loughlane, Loughlen, Loughling, Louglin, M'Loclin, Mac Lachlainn, Mac Laghlan, Mac Lochlainn, Mac Lochlinn, Mac Loclainn, MacClaughlin, MacCloughlin, MacGlaughlin, MacGloughlin, MacLachlan, MacLauchlan, MacLauchlin, MacLaughlan, MacLaughlin, MacLochlainn, MacLoclainn, MacLoghlin, MacLoughlan, MacLoughlen, MacLoughlin, Macklaughlan, Macklaughlin, Maclaghlan, Maclauglen, Mag Lachlainn, Mag Lochlainn, Maglaughlin, Magloughlen, McClaughlen, McClaughlin, McCloughlin, McGlacland, McGlaughlan, McGlaughlin, McGlochlin, McGlocklan, McGlocklin, McGloghlan, McGloghlin, McGlouclan, McGlouglan, McLachlan, McLacklen, McLaughlann, McLaughlen, McLeighlin, McLoghlan, McLoglin, McLoughlinn, McLouglin, Mcglaghlen, Mcglouglin, Meglaughin, Megleughlin, Megloughlin, O Lochlainn, O Loughlin, O'Laughlin, O'Lochlain, O'Loghlan, O'Loughlan, O'Loughlen, O'Melaghlin