Gow

Padraig Mac Giolla-Domhnaigh

Some Anglicised Surnames in Ireland

1923

Gow—This name is the anglicised form of MacGobha. Septs of the name belonged to the McIntoshes, McPhersons, and McDonalds. The McPherson sept most all anglicised the name Smith. According to Lower in his work on British Surnames, he says "The Gows were so numerous in Scotland at one period that they bid fair to outnumber the English Smiths."

That can't be said now, as the Scottish Gows forget their Gaelic origin, in most cases have assumed the English name of Smith, though many of the name is yet found in Perthshire. There was several septs of the Gows (MacGobha), McGowans and Gowan (Mac Gobhain) and McIlgown (Mac Giolla-ghobhain), the latter being a sept of the McDonalds.

Alphabetical Index of Anglicised Surnames in Ireland

See also Woulfe’s Irish Names and Surnames

… and O'Hart's Irish Pedigrees

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