By Mari Elspeth Nic Bryan

Irish Names

by Mari Elspeth nic Bryan

2003-2006 Kathleen M. O’Brien

Introduction

In Ireland during our period, there were several distinct cultures which each had their own naming practices. Which name elements were used and how a name was formed varied by culture and time period. The cultures seen in Ireland at different times include Gaels, Norse, and Anglo-Normans. Further complicating the issue is the fact that documents written in Ireland during our time period were written in Latin, Gaelic, English, and possibly Norse. So, a person of Anglo-Norman descent could have easily been referenced in a Latin document, an English document, and a Gaelic document. And the form of their name would have been different in each language. An example of such forms can be found in references to Strongbow:

LanguageAnnalsEntryName

GaelicBM1170.11Ricard mac Gillebert .i. Iarla ó Strangbouu

LatinAH1169Ricardus filius fuit Gilberti Comitis Strongulensis

Culture, time period, and document language are all factors that need to be considered when creating an authentic name or determining if an already-constructed name is authentic.

Overall View of Cultural Influences

500 / 600 / 700 / 800 / 900 / 1000 / 1100 / 1200 / 1300 / 1400 / 1500 / 1600
Written Language used by Gaels: / Oghamic Irish
c. 500 – c. 700 / Old Irish Gaelic
c. 700 – c. 900 / Middle Irish Gaelic
c. 900 – c. 1200 / Early Modern Irish Gaelic
c. 1200 – c. 1700
Cultures in Ireland and their
influence on Gaelic naming
practices: / Gaels as a cohesive culture in Ireland
Norse/Danish settlers living as a cohesive culture in Ireland
Norse/Danish names adopted into the Gaelic naming pool
Anglo-Norman / English settlers living as a cohesive culture in Ireland
Anglo-Norman names adopted into the Gaelic naming pool
the Catholic religion

Gaelic Culture and Gaelic Naming Practices in Ireland

Information about Gaels and Gaelic Culture in Ireland:

[Information regarding clan structure in Ireland – a quote from Gaelic and Gaelicised Ireland in the Middle Ages:]

-In the case of Ireland, the greater part of the humbler classes certainly did not belong to any recognised clans or descent-groups other than their immediate family groups (father and sons, or a group of brothers). In the case of persons like these, devoid of political influence or property, the clan would have had no functions which could serve to hold it together. Conall Mageoghagan, writing in 1627, refers contemptuously to persons of this sort as ‘mere churls and labouring men, [not] one of whom knows his own great-grandfather.’ The phrase is significant; in a lineage-based society the keeping of genealogies is of primary importance. Not only is membership of the clan conferred by descent, but the precise details of this descent may determine a person’s legal rights in, for instance, the property of the clan. [p. 9]

Important Developments and Changes in Naming Practices among Gaels:

-Throughout most of our period, names of prominent saints were considered too holy to give to children. Instead, parents wishing to reference a saint in their child’s name would give their child a devotional name formed from that saint’s name. For example, parents wishing to reference Saint Ciarán when they named their son, would name him Gilla Ciaráin ‘servant of [Saint] Ciarán’ or Máel Ciaráin ‘devotee of [Saint] Ciarán’ rather than simply Ciarán.

-occasionally Biblical names (forms of Daniel, Abel, etc.) show up as the names of religious men; the same names rarely or never appear in the general population

-Construction patterns used in early names tended to be simple, usually only naming the person’s father. Over time more complex constructions came into use (see the charts on the next two pages for examples).

-900s - family / clan names come into use

-1100s - Norse given names begin appearing in the Gaelic naming pool

-c. 1300 - Anglo-Norman names begin appearing in the Gaelic naming pool

[The section “From Pelican: Capitalization of Gaelic Particles: mac versus Mac” in the Cover Letter to the June 2002 LoAR explains the issue of capitalization of particles in Gaelic names:]

Capitalization of name elements in period Gaelic documents was less consistent than it is now, but it was not completely random. Most sources that reference Irish Gaelic names use standardized transliteration rules for rendering Gaelic text. For example, John O'Donovan, Annals of Ireland, by the Four Masters, is a facing page translation. Each left-hand page is a transcription which preserves capitalization as it appears in the original work. Each right-hand page is a 19th C translation of the corresponding left-hand page. The examples listed below (with 19th C translations) are taken from the year 1400 (vol. 4). A period after a letter indicates a punctum delens (which looks like a dot that appears above the preceding letter). A punctum delens is usually transliterated as an h following the letter in question. For example, {m.} is transliterated as mh. The notation e represents a "long e" character. In some cases, it is transliterated as e. In other cases, it is transliterated as ea.

hoiberd mac Emainn mic hoiberd a burc ("Hubert, the son of Edmond, son of Hubert Burke", pp. 768-769)

cathbarr {m.}ág aon{g.}usa ("Caffar Magennis", pp. 768-769)

Con{c.}o{b.}ar mac Do{m.}naill mic néill {g.}air{b.}, mic aoda, mic do{m.}naill óicc uí {d.}o{m.}naill ("Conor, the son of Donnell, son of Niall Garv, son of Hugh, son of Donnell Oge O'Donnell", p. 770)

Modern transliteration standards render literal bynames with non-capitalized particles and family names with capitalized particles. For example, mac Néill would indicate that this man's father was named Niall, while Mac Néill would indicate that Mac Néill was his family name. In a period document, mac Néill could indicate that either that his father was named Niall or that his family name was Mac Néill.

Patterns seen in Men’s Names Among Gaels

- the list below is preliminary; it is constructed from a rough sample taken from various annals

- all examples listed below have at least 5 men with names with this construction

Gaelic Particle of Relationship

A mac B mhic C mhic D
Nominative Case / Genitive Case / Meaning
mac / meic / mhic / son
hua / ua / Ó / huí / uí / grandson [later came to mean ‘male descendant’]

Patterns seen in Women’s Names Among Gaels

- the list below is preliminary; it is constructed from a fairly complete list of women’s names that appear in Irish annals. At this time, most of the women’s names have been sorted for the list below, but there are still a portion left to be sorted.

500 / 600 / 700 / 800 / 900 / 1000 / 1100 / 1200 / 1300 / 1400 / 1500 / 1600
Written Language: / Oghamic Irish
c. 500 – c. 700 / Old Irish Gaelic
c. 700 – c. 900 / Middle Irish Gaelic
c. 900 – c. 1200 / Early Modern Irish Gaelic
c. 1200 – c. 1700
Construction patterns
found in the names of
5 or more women: / A inigena B / A ingen B / A inghean B
A ingen B meic C / A inghean B mhic C
A ingen meic B / A inghean mhic B
A ingen B huí C / A inghean B uí C
A ingen huí B / A inghean uí B
A ingen B huí C ben D huí E / A inghean B uí C bean D uí E
A inghean B mhic C uí D
A inghean B mhic C bean D mhic E
A inghean B uí C bean D mhic E
A inghean uí B bean C mhic D

Gaelic Particle of Relationship

/ A inghean uí B bean C uí D
Nominative Case / Genitive Case / Meaning / A inghean B mhic C bean uí D
mac / meic / mhic / son
ingen / inghean / daughter / A inghean B uí C bean uí D
hua / ua / Ó / huí / uí / grandson [later came to mean ‘male descendant’]
ben / bean / wife / A inghean uí B bean uí C

Examples of Variation in a Woman’s Name

These are examples of women referred to multiple times in the annals. All of these examples are grouped by person. By looking at the multiple ways the annals render the name of a woman, we can begin to guess which elements were inherited and which were literal. In some cases, the final patronymic element may actually be a family name or a chiefly title (indicating descent from a clan chief).

Omitting a phrase

BM1152.10Dearbhforgaill, inghen Murchadha Uí Mhaoileachlainn, ben Tighernan Uí Ruairc

BM1153.21Derfforgaill, inghen Murchadha Uí Mhaoileachlainn

TT1157.3Derborgaill ingin Murchada h-Úi Mael Sechlainn

MCB1MCB1165.3Dirboguill, ingean Murcadha Meg Floinn, bean Tigearnain h- Ruairc, ri Breithne & Mighe

BM1167.16Dearbforgaill inghen Murchadha Ui Maoil Sechlainn

UU1186.9Derbhorgall, ingen Murchaidh h-Ui Maeil Shechlainn

LCLC1186.4Derborcaill, ingen Murchada .H. Máoil Seclainn

UU1193.6Der Fhorgaill, ingen Murchaidh h-Ui Mhail Sheachlaind

CM1193.4Derforghaill (.i. ben Tighernain Ui Ruairc) ingen Murchadha Ui Maoileachlainn

LCLC1193.7Derbhorgaill, ingen Murchada h-I Maeil Sechlainn

MCB1MCB1165.6Aine ingin Mic Murchadha

MCB1MCB1169.2Aine ingean Diarmada [The entry is explicit that her father is Mac Murchadha.]

Co1406.6Mna Muman ingine meic Fedlimid (NOTE: this entire name is in the genitive case due to sentence structure of the entry)

DM1406.2Bean Mumhan inghean mic Fedhlimidh

Co1411.12Ben Muman ingen Aeda h. Conchobair uxur Murchada meic Cormaic Meic Dondchada

Co1411.30Ben Muman ingen Aeda meic Fedlimid h. Conchobair, bantigerna Clainni Connmaig

Co1413.17Be Bind ingen Ruaidri meic Tomaltaig Meic Dondchada ben Eogain meic Domnaill

DM1413.8Bebind inghen Ruaidhri, mic Tomaltaigh, Mec Donnchaidh bean Eoghain, mic Domhnaill Uí Concobhair

Co1418.15Lasarfina ingen Chathail meic Aeda Brefnig h. Conchobair ben Mailsechlainn meic Flaithbertaig h. Ruairc

DM1418.11Lasairfiona ingean Cathail mic Aodha Breifnighbean Maoileachlainn mic Flaithbhertaigh Uí Ruairc

A inghean B mhic C; reduced to A inghean mhic C

UU923.7Ligach inginm. Mael Sechlainn, rigan righ Bregh

BM921.10Lioghach, inghean Floinn, mic Maoileachlainn, ben Mhaoile Mithigh, tigherna Bregh uile

Co1343.5Dubchablaig ingen Conchobair Meic Diarmata ben h. Birn

CM1343.7Dubhchabhlaigh inghen Meic Diarmada bean Uí Birn

LCLC1343.4Dubhcablaich inghen Conchobair Mic Diarmada, ben Ui Bhirn

Co1347.10Findguala ingen Eogain Meic Fingin uxur Feargail Mumnig h. Duibgendan airchideochain Chilli Ronan

CM1347.10Finnguala inghen Meic Fingin ben Ferghail Uí Duibhgionnain

LCLC1347.8Findguala, ingen Eogain mic Finghin, uxor Feargail Muimhnigh .H. Duibhgendan, archindech Chille Ronain

Co1393.9Ragnailt ingen meic Fedlimid h. Conchobair

DM1393.9Raghnailt inghean Aodha mic Feidhlimidh Uí Choncobhair

Co1530.2Caitilin inghen Murchada Meic hSuibhni ben h. Dochartaig

EM1530.3Caitilin inghen Mic Suibhne ben I Dhochartaigh

... bean A meic B ... reduced to ... bean meic B

Co1320.2Grane ingen Meic Magnusa ben Meic Diarmada

CM1320.2Grainne inghean Meic Magnusa ben Meic Diarmata

Co1321.2Grainne ingen Meic Magnusa ben Maelruanaig Meicc Diarmata

CM1321.1Grainne inghen Meic Maghnasa ben Mhaol Ruanaidh Meic Diarmata

LCLC1320.1Gráinne inghen Mic Magnusa, ben Mic Diarmada

LCLC1321.1Grainne inghen Mic Maghnusa, ben MaelruanaighMic Diarmada

Co1364.7Margrec ingen Uater a Burcc ben meic Feidlim

CM1364.2Mairgreg inghen Uatér A Burc ben Aodha mic Feidhlimidh Uí Concobhair

CM1364.4Mairghreg inghen Uátéir A Búrc bean Aedha mic Feidlimidh Uí Concobair ri Connacht

A inghean B Uí C; reduced to A inghean Uí C

Co1255.18Ragnailt ingen h. Fergail

LCLC1255.17Raghnailt, inghen h-I Fhergail

Co1257.23Ragnailt ingen Amlaib h. Fergail

CM1255.11Ragnailt ingen Uí Fhergail

LCLC1257.18Raghnailt, ingen h-I Ferghail

Co1433.2Margreg ingen h. Ceruaill

DM1433.8Mairghréicc inghen Uí Cerbhaill ben Ui Conchobhair Fhailghigh (an Calbhach)

Co1445.6Margreg ingen h. Cerbaill

DM1447.7Mairgrege inghene Uí Cerbhaill) ben Uí Domhnaill

Co1451.2Margreg ingen Taidc h. Cerbaill ri Ele, aenroga ban Gaidel

DM1451.3Mairgrécc inghen Ui Cherbhaill (Tadhg)ben Ui Conchobhair Fhailgigh (An Calbhach)

Co1471.28Margrege in Enig ingine h. Cerbaill

DM1471.15Sile ingen Uí Domnaill, .i. Niall Garb, ben Neill mic Airt Uí Neill

EM1521.9Síle inghen Néill Ghairbh Uí Domhnaill

Norse & Danish Settlers in Ireland and their Influence on Gaelic Naming Practices:

Information about Norse & Danish people in Ireland:

[information below taken from the Wars of the Irish Kings, pp. 85-86.]

-first recorded Norse raid was in 795

-“floods of foreigners” arrive in 820 (per the Annals of Ulster)

-previous to this time, population centers were around monasteries; now, the Norse built communities around trade

-“Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Limerick, and more, all have their origins as Viking trading centers, for although the foreigners arrived as raiders and kidnappers, they later became businessmen who established busy ports (founded as winter camps) both to carry out trade and to provide embarkation points for raids on other lands, notably Scotland and northern Britain”.

[information below taken from the Annals of Ulster]

-for several centuries, there were Norse kingdoms in Ireland. The annals record Norse kings of Dublin and Waterford, among others.

[information below taken from John O'Donovan, ed., Annals of Ireland, by the Four Masters, vol. 6, p. 2436, info. from a genealogy; names modernized & Anglicized in this source]

-Donovan (d. 977), son of Cathal, chief of the Ui-Figeinte had as a father in law Auliffe, king of the Danes of Munster

-Donovan also had an alliance with the Danes of Waterford, and one of the sons of Ivor, king of the Danes of Waterford was called Donovan after him.

Some examples of Norse & Danish people in Ireland mentioned in Annals:

UU857.1Imar

UU857.1Amlaiph

UU896.3Sitriucc m. Imair

UU917.2Sitriuc h. Imair

UU917.2Ragnall h. h-Imair

UU927.2Sitriuc h. Imair, ri Dubgall & Finngall (19th C translation: “Sitriuc grandson of Ímar, king of the dark foreigners and the fair foreigners”)

UU977.1Amhlaim m. Sitriuca

UU980.1Ragnall m. Amhlaim m. rig Gall

UU1021.1Sitriuc m. Amlaimh, ri Atha Cliath (ri Atha Cliath = ‘king of Dublin’)

UU1022.1Sitriuc mc. Ímair ri Puirt Lairgi(ri Puirt Lairgi = ‘king of Waterford’)

UU1124.1Torfind m. Turcaill primh-oigthigern Gall n-Erenn

UU1171.2Ascall, mac Torcaill, ri Atha Cliath

Some examples of Norse given names adopted by Gaels:

UU1102.6Sitriuc H. Mael Fhabhaill .i. ri Cairrce Brachaide

UU1102.6Sitriuc m. Conraigh m Eogain

UU1126.11Imar H. n-Aedhacan

UU1128.3Sitriuc H. Mael Brigte

UU1164.7Amhlaim, mac Gilla Caimghin U Cheinneidig

UU1165.3Sitriuc h-Ua Ruairc

UU1174.11Imar mac Mic Cargamna h-Ui Gilla Ultan, toisech Muinnteri (Mail Sinna)

CM1316.2Tomas mac Amhlaoibh Uí Ferghail

Anglo-Norman Settlers in Ireland and their Influence on Gaelic Naming Practices:

Information about Anglo-Normans in Ireland:

[information below taken from the Annals of the Four Masters]

-1170: Mac Murchadha gives his daughter in marriage to Strongbow. Strongbow recorded in this entry as:

BM1170.11Robert mac Stephni, & Ricard mac Gillebert .i. Iarla ó Strangbouu

[19th C translation: “Robert Fitz Stephen and Richard, son of Gilbert, i.e. Earl Strongbow”]

[information below taken from the Annals of Ulster]

-1172: Henry II comes to Ireland (with 240 ships); receives pledges

-battles between Anglo-Normans & Gaels in the 1170s

-1176: Strongbow dies

[Information on the evolution of Anglo-Norman culture in Ireland - quotes from Gaelic and Gaelicised Ireland in the Middle Ages:]

-Medieval Ireland was, of course, a society of clans or lineages – referred to as ‘nations’ in contemporary English terminology, and the most outstanding feature in the Gaelicisation of the Anglo-Norman settlers is the speed with which, within the first century following the invasion, the concept of the clan had become established among them. [p. 8]

-If throughout the Anglo-Norman areas of Munster law and custom were a mixture of Irish and English forms and the rule of primogeniture was still generally but not invariably observed, the lordships of Anglo-Norman descent in Connacht and Westmeath would to an outside observer have appeared indistinguishable from their purely Gaelic neighbours, with whom they pracised succession by tanistry and inheritance of land by ‘Irish gavelkind’. [p. 4]

-[T]hroughout the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the marcher areas saw a gradual replacement of the surviving English institutions by Gaelic ones, a trend that did not begin to be reversed until after 1534, while the sixteenth century was to see what appears to have been a general increase in violence everywhere, leading to a decline in material conditions and economic life. [pp. 4-5]

[The Statutes of Kilkenny in 1366]

-enacted at the Parliament of Kilkenny in February of 1366. The text is in Norman-French, the legal language of the time, and is available at

-Cosgrove (p. 4) says of the Statutes: The statute frankly recognised that Ireland was divided in two group, the English and the Irish, or, as we would term them, the Anglo-Irish and the Gaelic Irish. It acknowledged, too, that many of the Anglo-Irish had become ‘degenerate’ through their preference for ‘the manners, fashion and language of the Irish enemies’. And in an effort to halt the process of gaelicisation among the colonial population, it forbade intermarriage and other social and trading contacts between the Anglo-Irish and Gaelic Irish populations.

-The translation at: includes the following sections:

II. Also, it is ordained and established, that no alliance by marriage, gossipred, fostering of children, concubinage or by amour, nor in any other manner,

be hencefoth made betweeen the English and Irish of one part, or of the other part; and that no Englishman, nor other person, being at peace, do give

or sell to any Irishman, in time of peace or war, horses or armour, nor any manner of victuals in time of war; and if any shall do to the contrary, and

thereof be attainted, he shall have judgment of life and member, as a traitor to our lord the king.

III. Also, it is ordained and established, that every Englishman do use the English language, and be named by an English name, leaving off entirely the

manner of naming used by the Irish; and that every Englishman use the English custom, fashion, mode of riding and apparel, according to his estate; and

if any English, or Irish living amongst the English, use the Irish language amongst themselves, contrary to the ordinance, and therof be attainted, his lands

and tenements, if he have any, shall be seized into the hands of his immediate lord, [...]

[Interesting quotes from Campion (pp. 5-8), written c. 1571, shows the English opinion of the Anglo-Norman families in Ireland as “mere Irish”, “wilde Irish”, etc.]

-I tooke notice of the most noble English families in Ireland, which heere ensue with their surnames as they stand at present.

-Gerald Fitz Gerald Earle of Kildare

-Robert Fitz Stephens

-One record that I have seene, nameth a Geraldine the first Earle of Kildare, in anno 1289. [By Geraldine, Campion means a member of the Fitz Gerald family.]

-Sir Thomas Butler, Earle of Ormond and Ossorye: the Butlers were ancient English Gentlemen, preferred to the Earledome of Ormond in the first of Edward the 3.

-Sir Richard Burcke, Earle of Clanriccard, a braunch of the English family, de Burge Lord Burgh, who were noble men before their arrivall into Ireland.

-Lord Bermingham, Baron of Athenrye, now degenerate and become meere Irish, against whome his auncestors served valiantly in An. 1300.

-Lord Courcye a poore man, not very Irish, the auncient descent of the Courcyes planted in Ireland with the Conquest.

-Mac Suretan Lord Deseret, whom Sir Henry Sidney called Iordan de Exeter. This was Lord in the time of Lionell Duke of Clarence, An. 1361. now very wilde Irish.

-Mac William Burcke, Lord of eighter Connacht, now very Irish.

-Seintleger, Baronet of Slemarge, meere Irish.

-Den, Baronet of Por man ston, waxing Irish.