Irish Family Names Part 1 | How the Irish Got Their "Macs" and Their "Os"

[@BrehonAcademy]

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[@bettyreynolds204]

Was O'Donnelly shortened to just Donnelly?

[@Michael.Moran.33]

I am looking at my family name, O' Moran. If you can help to find out any information, i would be great full

[@KGTiberius]

❓ DNA collaborations with other researchers & KZbinrs? Me? (Kiley family descended of County Clare, tree branches all date into 1700s, family decennial updates for centuries)

[@OssoryOverSeas]

Excellent topic

[@KO_5662]

You have a new subscriber, thanks for the insight.

[@TheMercian13]

My mothers family are the O'Luinigh (modern day Lunney). I find this topic fascinating and I’m glad I subscribed to your channel.

[@loonatis]

Who knows, we could be related! Damn immigrations really screwed our names up when our ancestors came to America.

[@TheMercian13]

@@loonatis my branch moved too, but it went East into England. Plenty of Lunney’s out there!

[@loonatis]

@@TheMercian13 I'm always surprised when someone asks me if I know a Looney just in Indiana alone! The Irish really do get around!

[@pam-u1p2k]

my last name was O'Callaghan, ancestors dropped the O so its now Callaghan!!!! this is SO cool to learn!!!!!

[@LelandLittleDog-ou4hf]

There are many irish surnames among our lakota people here in south dakota, USA. I might even be part irish! Just can't prove it..yet 😆

[@Parker_Douglas]

Or Scottish a lot of Scot’s migrated to the South.

[@alicethomas5379]

Wylie is the surname of my Scotch Irish ancestor.

[@ashledashnaw2575]

Most American people are Irish or Scottish. I'm 27% Irish and 20% Scottish. So it baffles me when someone says they don't know if they are or not.

[@Goodellsam]

DNA test will tell you.

[@boogiemorgan]

I ran my family tree, and a write-up of our family left to me on our family by my grandfather! When my family came to America, my great great, great grandfather went to the Dakota's, and was captured by the Lakota Souix, later set free, and married the Chief's daughter, and lived in Souix county! His name was John P. Morgan! I have no proof of it, except we found his name in the census books in Rapid City, SD library! This was in the early 1800's

[@ohiofalconer]

I love this channel but man, your audio is so quiet. If you can for future videos, bring up the volume a bit when you master it. Fantastic work!!

[@alexschonski3637]

Excellent breakdown , interesting , my mother was an O'Brien that is why I find Irish history interesting .

[@ambers9210]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@MaryBradley-s3s]

My family is Bradley from Meath. I read the Bradley family is descended from Milesius King Of Spain through the line of his son Heremon. The founder of the family was Brian , son of Eocha Moy Veagon King of Ireland AD 350..

[@openureyes]

Great presentation

[@susankelly5976]

Thanks for you time to inform

[@joshoconnor9666]

Happy to hear my name mentioned, even though you gave basically no information as you did with many others. Wished to hear a little more but pleasant to listen to none the less.

[@Treklosopher]

Great video. I would've loved to hear more about the O'Kellys. Only caught one, all too brief, reference to my family.

[@erinreneekelley22]

Hey cousin!

[@CavalryClub]

Yes, especially given the clan fighting alongside Brian Boru at Clontarf

[@BrianBorumaMacCennetig367]

Kelly in Ireland could be anglicised from Ó Ceallaigh or Mac Ceallaigh depending on where your clan was located. In galway they were definitely Mac Ceallaighs. Is your surname actually O'kelly or just Kelly?

[@DianaOHiggins]

gracias ! very interesting!

[@NoticingAnti-WhiteBehavior]

Love the content brother! Do you have anything on the 14 tribes of Galway? I would love to learn/hear more about my ancestors. “Martin”

[@BrehonAcademy]

Nothing on video, but I do have some stuff in my notes for another project I am working on: "Under the Anglo-Normans, Galway was an important stronghold for English rule in Connaught. It was governed by the descendants of William De Burgo - De Burca (Burke) whose son, Richard De Burgo, captured Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe in 1232 and from then onwards the site began to develop and prosper as a busy maritime port. Eventually some branches of the De Burgos family broke away from the main group and gave up their own customs in favour of the language, laws, dress and manners of the native Irish to become níos Gaelaí ná na Gaeil féin, ‘more Irish than the Irish themselves’. Fearing threat from the Gaelic families, a loyal merchant elite of fourteen (twelve Norman and two Irish) powerful Galway families, known as the ‘Galway Tribes’, received permission by Royal Charter of 1369 to make Galway a walled-city to exclude the native Irish from entering the city. It is these tribes that give Galway its nickame Cathair na dTreabh or ‘City of the Tribes’. Within two-hundred years not much had changed, a city bye-law of 1562 explicitly banned the native Irish from entering the City stating: “neither O nor Mac shall strutte nor swagger through the streets of Galway without permission.” Today, Galway city is Ireland’s third largest and is a significant centre for Irish heritage, arts, language, traditional music and dance."

[@NoticingAnti-WhiteBehavior]

@@BrehonAcademy I appreciate that! Thank you 🙏🏼

[@patrickoconnor6979]

The Tribes of Galway were not Irish but mainly protestant interlopers.

[@MrResearcher122]

@@patrickoconnor6979 They were Catholics. They were old English, but that meant people who spoke Norman French, and came over during the Norman Conquest (often from Wales) during the 12 century. They remained Catholics. Barrets, Martins, Walshes, Lynches, Burkes, Dillons etc all are Norman names but around the world are known as true Irish names. They are our ancestors.

[@tommcconville677]

Mine is McConville, Ulster Irish from Armagh and Down. Some were Jacobites in the service of James the 2nd. I have discovered, against the forces of William of Orange in the Battle of the Boyne.

[@MarzNGrama]

Very informative. Thank you!

[@pobyrnesinger]

Thanks!

[@Davlavi]

Informative.

[@greenhealer7136]

My great grandfather was Hugh O'Gorman...they did drop the O after a few years after arriving in Australia..in the late 1800's

[@patmcgaha8120]

I enjoyed your presentation very much. Thank you. In America many Scotch & Irish surnames became misspelled because early settlers were unable to read and write. Most often the spelling was performed by government officials such as census takers, mail carriers, tax collectors and such. Common spelling was based on the pronunciation by the namesake. In our family this occurred in VA, about 1790. Our first documented ancestor was William McGaughey who sailed out of Glasgow in 1741.Our name was originally McGaughey and my line today is McGaha pronounced “Mac gay hey” or Mac Gay Hay. I’m sure many names evolved in the colonial colonies.

[@andreamacgillivray3653]

My Irish family name is O.Connor on my Mothers side. They came from Southern Ireland in the ring of Kerry area.

[@Julieanne0917]

So-so cool I ALWAYS wondered about my last name. This was so informative Thank you

[@1952jodianne]

Looks similar to the Scottish MacCleese.

[@beaatpeace2490]

Nee is still used in some American legal documents in reference to a woman's "maiden" name, ie, her father's family name. Edit: My grandpa ('s family) was an O'Day.

[@1952jodianne]

Often spelled O'Dea in Ireland.

[@catherineoconnell3213]

@397 sound very low... my first name is my two grandmothers name - the rest is history - o'connell clan carries on 10/07/2023

[@ivanj.conway9919]

My last name is Conway, and it baffles me to no end that I never, ever, see our family name mentioned, or even a close variation of it, whenever I see anything mentioned about Irish Family/Clan names. I'm virtually, 100%, certain it is of Irish origin, so I'm baffled as to why it almost, never gets mentioned.

[@shirleydowd7102]

The name Conway comes from kerry southern Ireland mostly tralee

[@IrishOutdoors]

Yeah, it's a real pity. Im a Conway in Limerick, I do talk to my grandfather about what he knows, but you can only find out so much, and there's little to no information online either🫤

[@ivanj.conway9919]

@@IrishOutdoors : Well, hello there. Greetings from a far, distant, cousin living in Canada. You may know that there are branches of our Clan all over the world now. There may be as many Conways outside Ireland now, than in Ireland, itself. I myself, live in Newfoundland, Canada, and we go back some six or seven generations here, which amount to roughly, 200 years, and before that, we either come over from Wales or Ireland, but I'm edging my bets more, on Ireland. Even if it turns out we came from Wales, well, that only, means we have descended from a branch that migrated to Wales a little, further back, as I believe, all Conways originate from Ireland, anyway. Is there much you can share about Conways in your part of Ireland? Are there many still, living there? Do you have any ideas how far back the name goes there? I guess, you probably, know that Conway is the angelized form of our name anyway, from the original, Gaelic, and the little I have been able to find out there, it splits off into three, major clans prior to that, who I'm sure, can in turn, trace their origins back to one clan again, far back in ancient times. As I'm sure you likely, know; Conway is one of the older, Clan/Family names in Ireland, and I have very little doubt that our Ancient Ancestors existed there, when the Romans were occupying a good chunk of Britain, with the Irish Nobility, far, far, predating anything in Britain, for whatever is preserved of that in Ireland, today. Please, feel free to correct me on any errors you may know for sure, I have made. Warmest Wishes and My Best. Out For Now. 😊👋🏼💚😔

[@ivanj.conway9919]

@@shirleydowd7102 : Shirley Darling, I believe I replied to this. I wish I could understand why KZbin is targeting my comments and replies like this, on absolutely, everything. If it's where I'm sharing bit about myself, well, that's no one's business but my own. Correct? My Best. Out.

[@IrishOutdoors]

@ivanj.conway9919 Dia duit friend. With my family, different sides have more around quite a bit but with my Conway side we seem to have occupied land in Muster for a long long long time, my grandfather and his family has owned land that has been generational and to this day still live on it which has all sorts of ancient monuments about. I won't say where on here as I believe we are one of the last major Conway familys nearby But I do know that our family was one of the main clans in a major dynasty in Ireland and In a an important Thomond sept who rallied up with the O'Brien clan. There are many non anglicised versions of our name one being Condmach I belive which means head smasher or something. My friends called me smasher because of this🤣another one means yellow hound in Irish, which I believe is because the Conway clan used to run into battle with yellow tartans and Irish war hounds

[@Rafael-zl7fh]

My ancestry is of the ASTURIAS CELTAE Kingdom 1900bc-A.D.1299, peoples of northern Spania. I have always known there is a relation between us. My father was always mistaken for an Irishman when he was alive, 1908-1998. But also Italian. Since his maternal grandfather is Italian. There are lots of IRISH last names in Puerto Rico, since 1699?.

[@zorty112]

Coming late to the discussion. Saw all of the two hour video and this one. Do you have any more on Doyle?

[@McNastyxx95]

It means son of the evil foreigner apparently . So you have Irish and Scandinavian / Viking blood in you.

[@1952jodianne]

Curious about Nicholl/Nichol/McNicholl/McNichol/ McNickle or MacNiochaill.

[@BigRed2]

Yah they were the lowest of lowest peasants

[@danielkelly5959]

Where is Mic used. I grew up hearing the term “Just another Mic “ and where did it come from.

[@Rafael-zl7fh]

Before the Gallic migrations 800bc, the TARSHISH, HYBERIAN, MIGDOL, XANTABRI peoples were in Spania, Britania(Silurian), Ireland(Firbolgi) from 4230-2900bc.

[@clairecarscallen]

Such a complicated intermingling of heritages.

[@MaryBethFuhrman]

I thought the FirBolg were mythical people.

[@winterradicallds8353]

Our name here in the USA is O"Friel and from what I've been told we are descendent from the O"Neils but that's all I've found do you have any info on our name?

[@lucyq7ollie]

My mother's maiden name was Lenahan of which there once was an attachment of an 'O', and spelled multiple different ways. I saw recently that the name means 'sorrowful'. Truer words were never spoken.

[@patrickdwyer3833]

I would love to hear more of my family name, Which is not very common, O'DWYER from county Tipperary I know that they fought with Brian Boru at the Battle of Clontarf,and had a few Castle's in Tipperary some destroyed By Cromwell.after not much I can find after that, if you know more I would greatly appreciate it, Thank You.☘️☘️🇮🇪🇺🇸

[@dk9176]

Where does the prefex kill as in killganon fit in?

[@BrehonAcademy]

From cill (a church) or coill (a forest). You'd need the Irish version to be sure.

[@jcar1417]

O’Cearbhail now anglicized to O’Carroll, Carroll, ancestor fought with High King Brian Boru at the Battle of Clontarf.

[@lauradoyle1111]

I am a Carroll! Would love to know more about my Irish Ancestry.

[@gordisbella719]

Anyone have any info on the Last Name McGinley ? No one ever mentions it in all the videos I’ve recently watched. All I’ve heard is they originated from Donegal ?

[@ShirleyCastle-kb2dl]

My Grandfather 'sname was William Jennings Mcormack but know nothing about where he was from any siblings or any other relations don't know where to find out but would dearly love to know more .

[@mellisande638]

My daughter and I have been very curious about the surname Lavery, lots in Ireland but we wonder if it has a specific meaning and how it came to be🤔 thank you for your very interesting explanations!😊

[@pennywolfe5676]

Our family on my Dad's side is Nally McCalister,and Strange or LeStrange

[@DD-bx8rb]

Lynch/Powell/Carrig/Conellan/Danaher here, from Clare to Australia over period of 1839 to 1852.

[@nancy-katharynmcgraw2669]

I am a McGraw, stories of 3 brothers moved from Ireland to Scotland, left by ship landing in Charleston, South Carolina in 1850, or 1750 as Endentured servants. I need more proof & am unable to get further.. I don't know how long these 3 brothers were in Scotland, & how many generations...My DNA shows Scottish & Irish blood . We're Protestant while in Ireland. Today, still Protestant.

[@SharronMcrann]

Need info on MacBhroin.

[@alanle1471]

Where are the Dunne’s from?

[@johnowen1677]

I knew some from Dundalk.

[@jamesbyrne2005]

Do know about Byrne

[@UniteD_DaD]

Anything on Kinsella?

[@RobertWWD]

I want to know the difference between Kearney and Kearny.

[@AdoraMiller1023]

Mcatee- either son of a scholar or son of carpenter depending on Irish or scotch origin

[@1952jodianne]

McAteer/McIntyre = son of a carpenter, often Anglicized as "Carpenter".

[@suzannewebb7913]

My maternal Irish /Sligo grandparent . My granny was a o Connor she married a Gallagher

[@bearcingetorix6326]

Hail to the O'Donnell Clan, the true Kings of Ireland.

[@shuheihisagi6689]

There would be no O'Donnell without the O'Brien ;)

[@Parker_Douglas]

Clans are Scottish Ireland has its own history stop trying to steal ours . Irish Clans & now even Irish tartan into the mix it’s anything to do with Scotland they have always got to mussel in .

[@jcar1417]

@@Parker_Douglasnot true, Irish septs or clans have existed for a millennia, but instead of surnames it was more geographical, so clans had multiple surnames. Clan Ciannachta

[@helenlogsdon7822]

Givens or McGibbons?

[@TheDanieldineen]

Where can I find out more info about deis mumhain pre Eoghanachta? I have O'Laoighre on one side and O'Duinín on the other, both of Corca Laoigde descendance! My best guess is that it goes back to Laogaire, high king when Patrick returned as a missionary but I can find out any more other than that and it's only an educated guess at best! O'Duinín were originally of the O'Laoigre Sept (afaik) but became hereditary bards to the Mac Cárthaigh which is where I assume the new Sept came from once one became an Ollamh?! Finally I know the last Ollamh at the bardic school in blarney was O'Duinín but I can't seem to find any more info about that? Any chance you could direct me to where I could do some further research? Go raibh míle! 👍

[@izzy9132]

Anything about the prefix Mag?

[@BrehonAcademy]

Mag is the equivalent of Mac meaning 'son of'

[@kathieoray2990]

My surname is O'Ray, I'm in Canada. My family has been here since the 1800's. I've never had much luck researching my name and chalked it up to the likelihood of it having been changed at some point between the voyage from Ireland to Canada. The only reference I've ever come across was a ship's manifest "The Africa, 1811" which sailed from Dublin to New York. Hugh O'Ray, same spelling. I can't trace him to Ellis Island so I'm not entirely sure that he made it. I was in contact with a professor at Trinity University who felt certain the name had been changed. He felt it had been or had been associated with the surname " O'Riabaigh". I wish I knew for sure. I wish I knew how to pronounce it. Thank you for all of the delicious information, I find it exceedingly fascinating. Apologies for the length.

[@dianebremer9408]

My Maternal Grandfather was descended from the Curtin's and O'Brien's. His Grandmother and Grandfather emigrated to America in the 1870's and settled in Western NY.

[@malcolmmccaleb2638]

Are surnames different, that a person's given name. For example your surname could be Mckillop, which is your clan or chieftain name. Which, one clan can tell who your tribe is. But within that clan or tribe your fathers ancestral name could McConaughey. Is this right or wrong?

[@shanadeoreilly7416]

An O'Reilly here!

[@MaryBradley-s3s]

I have Reillys in my family in Co Kildare they Lost the O

[@corneliuswowbagger]

Now, What about the Scottish Galloway MacCullochs? These were some of my ancestors. They possibly were originally Irish and definitely Gaelic speakers and some, at least myself, having a reddish Celtic complexion. One version of the origin of the name is son of Cullo O’Neil. They were apparently comfortable seafarers including crossing the northern end of the Irish Sea and staging cattle raids on Man. At any rate this, at least, Ulster Scots descendant, now sixth generation American, appreciates the work of the Brehon Academy in helping to sort out the complexities of the history of the Celts.

[@cq6754]

We decend from Laoghaire, High Kink of Ireland in the timfe of St. Patrick. The O'Quinlans came to Canada in 1844 .

[@sophie7571]

Just had to thank you for that first typo 😂

[@jenneyalberts1336]

Also fergusson, came up as well

[@kytim89]

What about McLemore?

[@iraharvey3078]

Harvey's where did they reside in Ireland?

[@marygeest3004]

My father's name is Keefe irish version O'Keeffe and mothers maiden name was Mcfadden and his family line had Neely/ Oneill family name. I have English, Northwestern England, Irish, Scottish, Welsh Danish and Iceland dna. So it's hard to focus on any one part. Thank Goodness being American simplifies this for me as I am a melting pot of Europe.

[@tishrourke]

I’m a Roark, I’m guessing was ORourke?

[@PaulCameron-o1b]

I am 16% Irish. Family names are Fenimore, started out as Fynamor. Also early ancestor of our beginnings was a Lord Fenmere. Might be English. Also names of Malone and Carey in family. I am a mix of differant countries. But proud of my Irish bloodline. Now if I can proof my native family related to Nansamand tribe in West Virginia I will be very happy.

[@lauradoyle1111]

My grandma's maiden name was Carey.

[@jojokeavy2835]

Ó Dubhagain ... Ballyhooly /Fermoy Co Cork , Relatives of Mine 💚

[@Hayleyogrady]

Any O’Gradys in the comments with me? Our family came to Newfoundland from Ireland however many hundred years ago.

[@kathleenogrady8459]

West Coast, BC here. Also longtime Canadians. Hi Hayley!

[@carolyntaylor7776]

O'Meary saw it spelled O'Marry in family genealogy ...

[@davecoffey977]

Just learnt Coffey was OCobthach Fionn not much info on this

[@tashvadj4914]

Super quiet audio!

[@The_Gallowglass]

Ó Slattarra i láthair.☘

[@grahamfleming8139]

You will be pleased to hear that all ghaidhlig names are derived from Ireland 🇮🇪 or Scandinavia the crossover has been thousands of years. Eader Erinn Agus Alba an siol nan gael.

[@jamesmccarthy9997]

There's not a hope in he'll that the McCarthys got their name from a man who died in 1493. There's a famous Bishop from Cork called Tadhg McCarthy who was born in 1455. The McCarthys were a well established lineage by then. The actual Carthach was a contemporary and Rival of Brian Boru.

[@Ned_Tallywhacker]

So where does Mul / Maol appear in this ? What does it mean?

[@BrehonAcademy]

Usually it means 'servant'

[@Ned_Tallywhacker]

@@BrehonAcademy Thanks

[@jerrydwyer9057]

👍

[@MarzNGrama]

Niall of the Nine Hostages is the Haplo group on my paternal side.

[@fionancoughlan1691]

The Irish nobility referred to themselves as the "Clann na Milegh" indicating Milesian descent. Some planters who had taken lands from the native Irish nobility even referred to them as such. (Letters of Mathew De Renzi to the Lord Deputy of Ireland)

[@BrehonAcademy]

He covers a lot of this sort of thing in Part 2. The Anglo influence on Irish names and vice versa

[@giuseppescaramuzza354]

From Ulster O’Neill

[@giuseppescaramuzza354]

The shield has the red hands

[@margaretclarke4055]

Does anyone know if the surname GOFF comes from Ireland?

[@cherylmackey2942]

I’ve always wanted to know where Mackey came from

[@Scotia6261]

Probably McKee.

[@sandyhawks5240]

My mother's maiden name is McHone. My father's Keeton.

[@Jamiereid6166]

My granny Boyle 💪🇮🇪✊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿✨

[@jimkennedy7050]

It probably was a choice for many to take the name of chieftan, OKennedy, a modern form of spelling for the gaelic word for "chieftan? shortly after the time of Brian Boru. Really a name as common as Smith in the United States I suppose. Neil has as many Scots as Irish having that old kings name as well.

[@lottie5038]

Riley. From O'Reilly

[@Romdormer]

What about the 'Mul's?

[@Ganjelf]

My ancestors were the first Barons of Navan and was also the founder of Navan, Jocelyn De Angulo being the founder after being granted lands for helping restore the king of ireland to his throne in the 12th Century. The name De Angulo was later turned into Oidealb then Oisdealbech and then Mac Oisdealbech and then was later turned into the name Mac Costello and were the leaders of The Barony of Costello, and then even later the name was anglocised into the name Costello which is now my name.

[@tommcconville677]

@Breas-pt7vi It would also have Norman roots, since they were originally Vikings who invaded Normandy and eventually rules and governed it. Before the Norman victory against Saxon King Harold that William the Conqueror won, and became King of England in 1066. The surname Costello would probably be partially Norman.

[@clairecarscallen]

Good grief, by the last permutation it had absolutely nothing remotely in common with the original name! Amazingly complicated process.

[@MaryBradley-s3s]

Navan Co Meath

[@carolinebarnewall4658]

Extremely interesting, well done but my Name is Barnewall ,admit I love my historic heritage, Drimnagh CASTLE, Crumlin, Walkinstown..I always kept my name on my passport as had two husbands, Lynch and Brady But No, I kept my name because it is my identity and will always keep it.Cheers from Murcia, Espana but Im Dublin South, but couldn't life back home due to weather and ridiculous cost of living . ESPANA LIVING ONE'S LIFE 😂😅❤🎉😂😂

[@shuheihisagi6689]

Hey shout out to my clan of High King Boru! Didn't know he started this tradition.

[@arleneirvine1526]

o'sullivan or osullivan here!

[@philipdoyle8737]

Mckenna was my surname wen I was born apoted name different from my birth name

[@stellablue7435]

O'Mara 😊

[@101deadpuppys]

is MacGrady scotch irish or irish ?

[@thomashunter5707]

My relatives come for Ireland the name Casey was it o Casey originally

[@anthonyfowler8634]

Where did the surname “Fitz” as in Fitz Roy, Fitz Patric, Fitz Maurice and on?

[@MaryBradley-s3s]

I think your name means something to do King Henry the 8th means children born illegiate.

[@sophie7571]

The "Fitz" prefix came with the Normans. It indicated "son of", similar to Mac/ Mc

[@sophie7571]

​@@MaryBradley-s3s You may be thinking of the surname "Fitzroy" in particular - Fitz being "son of" and "Roy" being "king" - which was originally used for the illegitimate sons of a monarch

[@Getbakers]

I am Fiitzgerald, son of Gerald. From Buenos Aires, Argentina

[@ashledashnaw2575]

What about the surname Patrick?

[@BariandHamza]

My tribe is Ragbheartach. Of nial noy giollach.

[@hopper1aoa15]

Mac Craith as Corcaigh anseo.

[@Rafael-zl7fh]

Are the last names SERA, & CIERAN of the MILESIANS? Please get back in comments.

[@giuseppescaramuzza354]

Is the 5 hands true or myth

[@mentallychallenging]

great video, as an american driscoll its neat to know morea bout our heritage, but my brotha, geta new windsock, that thing looks moldy

[@gmaureen]

I have O'Driscoll lineage from both my parents. My maternal great grandmother was a Driscoll and my paternal grandmother was also a Driscoll. And yes, my parents were approx. 8th cousins.