Ancient Irish Sirnames
As many of the ancient Irish sirnames are not recorded in O'Clery's, or in MacFirbis's Genealogies, or in the Linea Antiqua, or in the Betham Genealogical Collections, we have collected from "The Topographical Poems of O'Dugan and O'Heerin," "The Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiachra," and other works published by the Celtic and Archaeological Societies in Ireland, the following Irish family names, and the modern anglicised forms which they assumed:
| The Name | Has been modernized. |
| Clan Shane (a Sept of the O'Farrells) | Shaen. |
| MacAindris | Andrews, MacAndrew, Anderson. |
| MacBlosky | MacClosky, Closky. |
| MacBrehon | Judge. |
| MacCarrghanma | Carron, MacCarron, MacCarroon, MacCarhon, and Carson. |
| MacCionnaith | MacKenna (of the Meath Hy-Niall). |
| MacConboirne | Bourns. |
| MacConin | Kennyon, Canning. |
| MacCoshy | Foote ("cos :" Irish, the foot). |
| MacCrossan | Crosby, Crosbie. |
| MacFinnbhair | Maginver, Gaynor. |
| MacGallogly | Ingoldsby. |
| MacGilla Sinin | Synan. |
| MacGillicuskly | Cuskley. |
| MacGilla Kenny | Kilkenny. |
| MacGilla tSamhais | MacIltavish, MacTavish. |
| MacGillimore | Merryman. |
| MacGiolla Phoil | MacGilfoyle, Gilfoyle, Paul. |
| MacGuiggan | Maguiggan, Goodwin, Godwin. |
| MacGunshenan | Magunshinan, Nugent, Leonard. |
| MacInogly | Ingoldsby (See "MacGallogly.") |
| MacLaighid | Lye, Leigh. |
| MacLave | Hand ("lamh :" Irish, a hand). |
| MacMahon | Mathews, Fitzursula. |
| MacMurchada (of Ulster) | MacMorrow, MacMurray, Morell. |
| MacNamee | Meath, Mee. |
| MacNebo | Victory, Victoria. |
| MacOscar | Cosgrave, Costello. |
| MacPartholain | Bat, Bats, Batson, Bateson. |
| MacReachtagain | Rafter. |
| MacSimoin | Sims, Simmes, Simpson, Simkins, Simcocks, Simon. |
| MacSpallane | Spenser. |
| MacSpeallain | Spenser. |
| MacTaidhg | MacTague, MacTeig, Montague, Montagu. |
| MacTyre | Wolf, Wolfe. |
| MacUaithnin | MacHoneen, Green, Greene, Tonyson, Tennyson. |
| MacUalhairg | MacGolderick, Goderich, Golding, Goulding, Waller. |
| Mag Aedha | Magee. |
| Magilsinan | Magilsitnan. |
| Muintir Ceallaigh | O'Kelly and Kelly, in Londonderry. |
| Muintir Lideadha | O'Liddy and Liddy. |
| Murtagh | Mortimer. |
| O'h-Aichir | O'Hehir, Hehir. |
| O'Aimirgin | Mergin, Bergin. |
| O'Banain | Banan. |
| O'Barrain | Barrington. |
| O'Beirne | Briun. |
| O'Brachain | Brahan. |
| O'Breadhdha | Bray, (of Imokilly, co. Cork.) |
| O'Breen | O'Brien. |
| O'Brien | Brine. |
| O'Breithe | Broghie, Brophy. |
| O'Bruadair | Broder, Broderick, Bradner, Brothers. |
| O'Byrne | Leycester, Lester, Lyster, Warren. |
| O'Cain [1] [O'Koin] | Coyne, Koin, Kain, Kean, Keane. |
| O'Caolloaidhe | Cayley, Kaely, Keely. |
| O'Ceadfhada | Keating, Keatinge. |
| O'Cearnachain | Kernaghan. |
| O'Ceathaigh | Keaty, Keating. |
| O'Ceirin | Kerrin. |
| O'Ciardha | Carey, Keary. |
| O'Ciarmhaic | Kirby, Berwick. |
| O'Cindellain | Cunningham. |
| O'Cinnfhaelaidh | Kinealy. |
| O'Clumain | Coalman. |
| O'Coilen | Collins, Collings. |
| O'Coilligh [2] | Wood, Woods. |
| O'Conagan | Conyngham. |
| O'Conaing [3] | Gunning. |
| O'Conaill | Connell, O'Connell. |
| O'Conaighain | Conway. |
| O'Connowe | Conway. |
| O'Conor | Conyers. |
| O'Cornain | Corbett. |
| O'Cribbain | Corbett, Cribban. |
| O'Dowling | Du Laing, Laing. |
| O'Drum | Drum, Drummond. |
| O'Duibhdiorma | Diarmid, MacDermott. |
| O'Duibhraic | Durack. |
| O'Duineadhaigh | Doney, Denny. |
| O'Echtighearn | Ahern. |
| O'Faelchoin | Wolfe. (See also "MacTyre.") |
| O'Fearceallaighe | Farrelly. |
| O'Feehily | Pickley, O'Feely. |
| O'Finntighearn | Finneran. |
| O'Flaithri | Flattery. |
| O'Fodhladha | Foley (of Waterford.) |
| O'Fraechain | French, Ffrench, Frenshe.[4] |
| O'Gaoithin | Gehan, Gihson, Gettins. |
| O'Gathlaoich | Gately, Keightley, Catley. |
| O'Gormog | Gorman. |
| O'Gowan | Smith. |
| O'Griobhtha | Griffy, Griffin. |
| O'h-Aghmaill | Hamill. |
| O'h-Aidith | Hatty, Hetty. |
| O'h-Ailche | Halley, Ally. |
| O'Haughey | Haugh, Hoy, Hoey, Hawe, Howe. |
| O'Hay | Hay, Hughes. |
| O'Hease | Hussey, Oswell. |
| O'h-Eitegein | Magettigan. |
| O'h-Eochagain | Haughion. |
| O'h-Eoghain | O'Howen, Owens. |
| O'h-Heraghty | MacGeraghty, Harrington. |
| O'Hooneen | Greene. (See "MacUaithnin.") |
| O'h-Iomhair [5] | Howard. Ivers. |
| O'h-Ir [6] | O'Hir, O'Hayer, O'Hare, Hare. |
| O'Hurley | Harley. |
| O'Labhradha | Lavery. |
| O'Lahiff | Guthrie. |
| O'Lairgnen | Largan, Lorigan, Legge. |
| O'Laodhog | Lee. |
| O'Laoghain | Lane. |
| O'Lochain | Loughan, Duck. |
| O'Lorcain | Larkin, Larcom. |
| O'Luain | Loane, Lamb. |
| O'Luane | Lamb. |
| O'Kelaghan | Callaghan. |
| O'Maoilbloghain | Mullowne, Mullowney, Malony. |
| O'Maoilcallain | Mulhollan, Mulholland. |
| O'Maoileoin | Malone. |
| O'Maoilgaoithe | Mulgeehy, Wynn, and Wynne. |
| O'Marcachain | Markam, Horseman, Ryder, Ryding. |
| O'Mearadhaigh | O'Meara, O'Mara. |
| O'Mellain | Mellan, Millan, Mellon. |
| O'Mordha | O'More. |
| O'Mughroin | Moran. |
| O'Mulclohy | Stone, Stoney. |
| O'Mulfaver | Palmer. |
| O'Mulfover | Milford. |
| O'Mullaville | Lavelle. |
| O'Mulrian | Murrian, Ryan. |
| O'Mulrony | Moroni (of the county Clare.) |
| O'Mulligan | Baldwin. |
| O'Muineog | Monaghan. |
| O'Murgally | Morley. |
| O'Murphy | Morphie. |
| O'Neill | Neele, Neely. |
| O'Rourke | Rooke. |
| O'Seagha | O'Shea. |
| O'Sedna | Shade. |
| O'Seisnain | Sexton. |
| O'Sewell [7] | Walker, Sewell. |
| O'Shaughnessy | Sandys. |
| O'Sullivan | Silvan, Silvers. |
| O'Sumaghain | Somers. |
| O'Tackney | Tackit. |
| O'Taichligh | Tully, Tilly. |
| O'Tiompain | Tenpenny. |
| O'Trehy [8] | Foote. (See "MacCoshy.") |
| O'Tuathlain | Tolan, Toland, Thulis. |
| O'Turrain | Troy. |
| O'h-Uisgin | O'Hiskeen, O'Histeen, Hastings. |
| O'h-Uallachain | MacUallachain, MacCuolahan, Cuolahan, Nolan.[9] |
Notes
[1] O'Cain: Quite distinct from "O'Cahan."
[2] O'Coilligh: See also No. 108 on the "O'Mealla" pedigree, p. 889, ante.
[3] O'Conaing: The chief of this family was seated at Caislean Ui Chonaing, now "Castle Connell" in the county Limerick.
[4] Frenshe: A friend informs me that he has met this sirname variously written, as follows:—Freynsce, Freynsh, Freynsshe, Frainche, Freinche, Frensche, Frenshe, Frensch, Frense, ffrench, and French.
[5] O'h-Iomhair: Among the peasantry in Ireland this sirname is anglicised Howard; but, among the gentry, Ivers.
[6] O'h-Ir: This sirname is derived from Slioght Ir, a branch of the "Reynolds" Family. (See No. 118, p. 345, ante.)
[7] O'Sewell: This sirname in Irish is O'Siubhail ("Siubhal:" Irish, walking; Heb., "shubh," to walk; "shebhila," a path).
[8] O'Trehy: In Irish this sirname would be O'Treathain ("treathan:" Irish, another word for foot).
[9] Nolan: This is not the Nolan or Nowlan family, which, at the time of the Cromwellian Settlement of Ireland, was transplanted from the county Waterford to the county Galway.