irishhereandthere

GINLEY - MacFhionnghaile means Valour in Gaelic. A name most common to Donegal.

GINTY - also written as FINNAGHTY; meansDonegal sept now almost entirely located in Connaught.

GORMAN - uses both prefixes, Mac and O'; in County Clare, it is O'Gorman; in County Monaghan it is MacGorman.

GRADY - O'Gradaigh means illustrious in Gaelic. Grady is the spelling adopted by the Mayo branch. Is also seen as GREADY and in some places has become BRADY.

HAGGERTY - O'hEigceartaigh means unjust in Irish. Primarily of Derry in Ulster.

HALLINAN - O'hAilgheanin means noble offspring in Irish. This name is generally uncommon outside of Ulster.

HART - Originally of Meath, this family was pushed west by Anglo-Norman pressure. It is now very common in Sligo.

HEVRON - Variation of HEFFRON or HEFFERNAN in County Mayo.

HIGGINS - O'hUigin from the old Irish term for Viking.A sept of the O'Neill's that migrated to Connaught. Very common in both Mayo and Sligo.

HINES - O'hEidhin means ivy in Irish. A leading sept in Galway.

HOGAN - O'hOgain means young in Gaelic. The septs are normally located in Clare and Limerick.

HOLLERAN - The Mayo form of HALLORAN , O'hAlmhurain, or pirate in Irish.

HUTCHINSON - MacCutcheon, a diminutive of Hugh; a branch of the Scottish clan MACDONALD.

JORDAN - A Gaelic patronymic adopted by the d'Exeter family, Normans who held extensive lands in Connaught.

JUDGE - Breheny, a judicial family of Sligo.

KEARNS - O'Ciarain, black or dark brown in Irish; A Mayo variation of Kieran or Kerin.

KEELEY - Also KEALY and KEALAGHAN; an eccesiastical family originally from Meath.

KILBRIDE - Mac Giolla Bhrighde means a follower of St. Brigid in Irish. GILBRIDE is a common variant.

KILCULLEN - The Sligo form of KILGALLON, which means Mac Giolla Chaillin, a follower of St. Cailin. The family is also numerous in County Mayo.

LACKEN - O'Laicin, which is incorrectly translated as "duck." Most usually found in West Connaught.

LANGAN - O'Longain, long, was originally a name common in Armagh. It is more numerous now in County Mayo.

LEECH - derives from the Middle English word for "physician." The LEECH family were hereditary physicians to the O'Flagherty's.

LYNCH - From the Norman de LENCH, which was one of the Tribes of Galway.

LYNSKY - A form of LYNCH which is peculiar to County Mayo.

MALLOY - O'Maolmhuadh, big or soft in Irish; a variation of Molloy and is most commonly found in County Roscommon.

MANLEY - Common variant of MONNELLY and MUNNELLY, a family recorded in Mayo as early as the 16th century.

MARTIN - One of the Tribes of Galway; also a variation of GILMARTIN.

MAY - Can be an English name or a form of O' Miadhaig, which means honorable. Common in Westmeath.

MCDONNELL - Can be a gallowglass (Scottish mercenary) family of Antrim or of native septs from Ulster or southeast Ireland.

MCDONOUGH - Mac Donnchadha, son of Donagh, is a branch of the MCDERMOTT's in County Mayo.

MCEVEINNY -Also McAVANEY; A branch of the the O'CAHAN's of Derry or an eccesiastical family located at Callow Hill in County Fermanagh.

MCGOWAN - MacGabhan, an occupational name that translates directly iinto English as SMITH. The homeland of this sept is in County Cavan.

MCGUIRE - Mag Uidhir, dun-colored in Gaelic; The leading sept of County Fermanagh.

MCHALE - Mac Ceile. a leading eccesiastical family of Killalla. The name is almost exclusively associated with County Mayo. The name was also adopted by the Welsh HOWELL's, and its evolution eventually made the Irish MCHALE's indistinguishable from the Welsh family.

MCINTIRE - Mac an tSaoir, craftsman in Irish; An Ulster form that has supplanted the native MACATEER. The homeland of the sept is in Ballymacateer in Armagh.

MCLAIN - Mac Giolla Cain, a follower of St. John; a variation of MCLEAN and MCCLEAN; often a gallowglass family of Scottish origins.

MCLOUGHLIN - From a Norse personal name; once a senior branch of the O'NEILL's. Smaller septs found in County Mayo are related to the MCDERMOTT's and the O'CONNOR's.

MCSHANE - Mc Seain - The Irish equivalent of JOHNSON or JOHNSTON. Numerous in the Ballina records.

MELODY - O'Maoileidigh - The main sept is originally from County Clare on the Galway border.

MELVIN - O'Maoilmhichichil - translates as gentle from the Irish. Originally of Leinster, it is very common in the Ballina registers. A branch is also located in Bonniconlon.

MORGAN - Usually a Welsh surname found in many parts of Ireland. However, it is sometimes a variation of MORAN, MORAHAN OR MERRIGAN.

MOYLES - When not an anglicized form of Mullery, it is sometimes derived from miles, which is Latin for soldier. MOYLES is primarily found in County Mayo; however, MILES, with the same derivation is located in other parts of the country.

MULDOON - O'Maoilduin translates as fort from the Irish. One of three distinct septs of the same name but different origins in Ulster, Clare and Galway.

MULLEN - O'Maoilain means bald or tonsured, which suggests connections to the monastic system. There are several variations of the name, including MULLINS and MCMULLEN. There are two main branches: one in Galway and the other in Derry.

MULROY - O'Maoilruadh, which means red chief. A sept native to Mayo as well as an old family of County Longford.

MURRAY - Can be of Scottish origin or of septs located in Donegal, Down and Roscommon.

NALLEN - A family indigenous to Offaly, although now more common in County Mayo.

NEARY - Seen as NARY in early records. O'Naraigh, modest. A common Mayo name.

NICHOLSON - An English family that settled in County Tyrone in the 17th century.

O'BOYLE - shared with the O'DONNELL's and the O'DOGHERTY's the leadership of the northwest of Ireland. The root word of the name means "pledge."

O'DONNELL - The main sept was located in Tirconnell and was very famous in the fight of the Irish earls against British domination. Their power was shattered after the Battle at Kinsale.

O'NEILL - The main sept was located in County Tyrone; they descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages. Now numerous throughout Ireland. Fought with THE O'DONNELL and other nobility. Branches of the family are now located in France and Spain.

ORMSBY - A Lincolnshire family which settled in County Mayo in the 16th century. A number of them became completely hibernicized.

PADDEN - A diminutive of Patrick adopted by the STAUNTON's and BARRETT's of Mayo.

PHILBIN - Means "Little Philip." A branch of the BURKE's of Mayo and Galway.

RAFTER - O'Reachtabhair, meaning decree. An occasional variant of RAFTERY and RAFFERTY in County Mayo.

RATCHFORD - Variant of the Anglo-Norman, Rochford.

REAPE (RAPE) - An exclusively County Mayo name.

REGAN - Mainly identified with Clare, Cork and Leix.

ROACHE - de Roiste which translates from the French to mean rock. A completely hibernicized Anglo-Norman family now found all over Ireland. Its point of origin is, however, in Cork.

ROGAN - O'Rhuadhain meaning red in Irish. Indigenous to Armagh and numerous in County Leitrim.

RUANE - O' Ruadhain - simmilar to ROGAN in origin. Very common in County Mayo.

RUDDY - In oldest records, this name is written as RODDY. O'Rodachain translates as strong from Irish. Pockets of this family are located in Leitrim, Donegal and one group was once the dominant family in Ratheskin in Kilfian Parish in County Mayo.