Summary of the Distribution of Surnames
It will be seen that although the name “Murphy” is the most numerous in the country at large, it does not occupy the leading place in many of the counties. In the Province of Leinster in two Counties only—Wexford and Carlow—does it stand first. With regard to this name in the former County, the Earl of Courtown in a recent paper on the “Celts and Teutons in Ireland,” remarks as follows:—
“Murphy is the Anglicised form of MacMurrough, the old regal family of Leinster. On the death of Dermot MacMurrough, the last acknowledged King of Leinster, his rights, by English law, passed to his only legitimate child, Eva, wife of Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke, known as Strongbow. The legitimate male line was continued in the descendants of Dermot’s brother Morrogh, who continue to hold lands in North Wexford. This name is by far the most numerous in the county, and is found in every part of it.”
In the counties of Dublin, Louth, and Wicklow, “Byrne” is the most common name, whereas in Kildare and King’s County, “Kelly” heads the list. In Longford and Meath, “Reilly” is the principal name, and in Kilkenny, “Brennan.” In Queen’s County, “Dunne” appears at the head of the list, and in Westmeath, “Lynch.”
In the Province of Munster, “Sullivan” is the predominant name in Cork and Kerry, followed, in the former county, very closely by the name “Murphy.” “Ryan” heads the list in Limerick and Tipperary, while “McMahon” and “Power” are the leading names, respectively, in the counties of Clare and Waterford.
In the Province of Ulster in one county only, namely, Armagh, is the name “Murphy” in excess of the others. In Antrim, “Smith” appears first; in Cavan, “Reilly”; in Donegal, “Gallagher”; and in Down, “Thompson.” The leading name in Fermanagh is “Maguire,” and in Londonderry, “Doherty” stands at the head of the list. The principal names in Monaghan and Tyrone are “Duffy” and “Quinn,” respectively.
In the Province of Connaught, in no one county does the name “Murphy” occupy the principal position. In Galway and Roscommon the name “Kelly” takes precedence, and in Leitrim that name and “Reynolds” are the first two on the list and equally represented. “Walsh” stands first in the county of Mayo, and “Brennan” heads the list in Sligo.
An interesting feature connected with the Table on pages 37 to 75, is the fact that it exhibits certain names as peculiar to particular provinces or counties. Some of these names may be found in other parts of the country, though not so represented in the Births Index for 1890.
Thus the following names, amongst others, are principally found in the Province of Leinster:—
The Province of Munster is the chief seat of the undermentioned names:—
The following names are confined principally to the Province of Ulster:—
The Province of Connaught is the chief habitat of the Names:—
Passing from Provinces to Counties, it will be seen from the Table that, in the Births Index for 1890, the following names appear only in particular Counties:—
Thunder appears in Dublin only.
Howlin, Parle, Rossiter, in Wexford; and Kearon in Wicklow.
M‘Guane is found only in Clare. Anglin, Bohane, Bransfield, Brickley, Bullman, Dullea, Hornibrook, Keohane, Kidney, Lombard, Lordan, Lowney, Motherway, Northridge, Santry, Twohig, appear in the Index for Cork only; and Bowler, Brick, Cournane, Culloty, Currane, Kerrisk, M‘Crohan, M‘Gillicuddy for Kerry. The surname Leo is peculiar to Limerick, and Dahill to Tipperary.
The following are found exclusively in Antrim—Buick, Drain, Esler, Gaston, Kernohan, M‘Killen, M‘Murtry, M‘Ninch, Meharg, Miskelly, Mulvenna, O’Rawe, Picken, Quee, Richmond, Snoddy, Warwick, Weatherup, and Wharry.
Cartmill and M‘Polin appear in Armagh only, and M‘Givney in Cavan.
The names M‘Geady, M‘Gettigan, and M‘Nelis have representatives in Donegal only; Jess and Lightbody in Down; M‘Eldowney in Londonderry, and M‘Aneny in Tyrone.
Cloherty, Dirrane, Diskin, Faherty, Gorham, Grealish, Hara, and Welby, are found only in Galway; Dever, Forkin, Heffron, Kilbane, Kilgallon, Kirrane, Kitterick, M‘Andrew, M‘Manamon, M‘Nicholas, Mea, O’Hora, Ractigan, and Tougher, in Mayo only; and Guihen in Roscommon only.