Genealogy Chat

nudged

hello ann,
just come across this thread,as i have mangan as a g grandmother and from offaly,it was most interesting as i do not have any info on her as she never told the truth on any document's,the only true fact's on her are her birth date and death date.
thank's sue

Just to add, I found the website included in the post very helpful and have looked up many family surnames since - Thanks again.

Thanks very much Ann, the info is much appreciated.

Thankyou Ann

Last name: Flemming
An unusual Old French name, first introduced into England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, 'Flamanc' and meaning 'The Fleming' or a 'Man from Flanders'. Flanders was the continental textile manufacturing centre, and in order to 'encourage' English industry, the export of wool to the continent was banned and many 'Flemings' emigrated to England and set up cloth manufacturing, particularly in East Anglia and Yorkshire. Probably the most famous namebearer listed in the national Biography is alexander Fleming (1824 - 1875) a medicar writer whose "Physiological and Medicinal Properties of Aconitum Napellus" (1845) led to the introduction of Fleming's tincture. Another interesting namebearer was a child prodigy who sadly died very young, one Margaret Fleming (1803 - 1811) known as "Pet Marjoie" who played with Sir Walter Scott and composed a poem on Mary Queen of Scots, and other verses. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Le Flamanc, which was dated 1219, The Yorkshire Assizes, during the reign of King Henry 111, 'The Frenchman', 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Flemming#ixzz1EadpPQvW

Last name: Waldron
This is a surname of ancient pre 7th century origins. Recorded in the spellings of Waldram, Waldren, Waldron, Waleran, and Walrond, it is an excellent example of a style of individual name from the "Dark ages". It derives from the Olde German personal compound name "Wala-hram", and whilst it may have been introduced into Britain by the 8th century Anglo-Saxons, the first certain recordings are Norman-French, or at least after the 1066 Norman Invasion. These are found in the 1086 Domesday Book for Essex in the Latinized spellings of "Waleranni" and "Galeranni". The name translates literally as "Wall-raven", but it is probable that the original meaning was more on the lines of "strong bird", walls being associated with great strength, whilst the raven is heraldically known for its wisdom and cunning. Early examples of the name recording include Walerannus de Crikelade in the Pipe Rolls of Oxford for the year 1182, whilst Robert Waldrond is recorded for Worcester and Matilda Waldron in Warwick, both in the Hundred Rolls for their particular county in the year 1275. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Waleram. which was dated 1196, in the charters of the district of Clerkenwell, London. during the reign of King Richard I, known as "The Lion Heart", 1189 - 1199. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Waldron#ixzz1EadfUViq

Hi Ann,
If you have the time would you be able to look up the surname Flemming for me? I've recently found a gene line with connections to Limerick/Clare back in the 1830's..
Any info on the origin of the surname wouls be greatly appreciated.
Best wishes,
Chevaun.

Hi

Thankyou for the kind offer. Could you look up the surname WALDRON for me please.

Many Thanks

Nicola

all easy to find on this site

http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname

Last name: O'Hare
Recorded as O'Hare and O'Hair, sometimes McHare, or Hare or Hair, this is a famous Irish clan surname. It is said to have been one of the few surnames to resist the temptation in the 17th century to discard the Gaelic prefix O', meaning male descendant of. Nevertheless there has been and there remains, considerable confusion in Ireland as to the true origin, because many English and Scottish settlers were also called Hare or Hair. The situation is now that it is difficult, if not impossible in many cases, given the paucity of records, to distinguish between origins. It would seem that people called Hare or Hair with or without the O' prefix, may be descendants of English settlers, but where the name in any spelling is found west of th River Shannon, the origin is almost certainly the Gaelic O'hEir. This has the unusual meaning of 'The male descendant of the angry one'. As to who was angry, and why, is not known, but like most Gaelic surnames this one does originate from a nickname for the first chief. To add to the confusion, the name if spelt as Hair or Haier and found in West Clare, may have a quite different origin. These nameholders are believed to be a part of Clan McGarry, whose name originates from the Gaelic word 'girrfhiadh' meaning - a hare! Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/O'Hare#ixzz1EXi01HPs

Last name: McComiskey
Recorded in many spellings including MacComiskey, MacCumisky, MacCumesky, and the short forms commencing Mc, as well as many without the suffix at all such as Comiskey, Cumeskey, Commiskey, and Comaskey, this is an Irish surname. It derives from the pre 10th century Olde Gaelic surname "Mac Cumascaigh", translating as the son of Cumascach, the latter being a personal name meaning powerful! It is said that the adjective cumascach refers to mental powers as well as physical ability, although it has to be said that most early Irish surnames have a "warrior" base. This great sept originated in the Clones area of County Monaghan and from hence moved south to inhabit counties Cavan, Longford and Westmeath. In the Hearth Money Rolls of County Monaghan, dated 1664 - 1666 McComiskie is widely recorded, and Roger Commoskey, of Dundalk, appears on a list or army personnel of the 17th century, Dundalk being over the border from the homeland of the sept. It is interesting to note that Comerford is occasionally used as an anglicized form of Mac Cumascaigh in the Cavan-Longford area. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Teag Mac Cumascaigh. This was dated 1000 a.d, in the ancient records of Clones, County Monaghan, during the reign of Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, 1002 - 1014. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/McComiskey#ixzz1EXhhyKe0

Last name: O'Mahoney
This is an anglicized form of the Olde Gaelic name Mac Mathghamhna. The Gaelic prefix "mac" means "son (of)" plus the personal nickname Mathghamhan, a bear. Mathghamhan was the son of Cian Mac Mael Muda, a 10th Century prince and his wife, Sadbh, who was the High King, Brian Boru's daughter. In modern Gaelic the name is written as O'Mahuna and anglicized as (O) Mahony and (O) Mahoney. The sept belonged almost exclusively to south west Munster where they built fourteen fortified castles incuding one at Rosbrin in Co. Cork. The famous "Bells of Shandon", a poem about Cork City, was written by Sylvester Mahony under the pseudonym Father Prout. John O' Mahony (1816 - 1877) was co-founder of the Fenian Brotherhood (1858). He translated Keating's Gaelic "history of Ireland". The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Father Francis O' Mahony. which was dated 1626, Provincial of the Irish Franciscans. during the reign of King Charles I of England 1625 - 1649. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/O'Mahoney#ixzz1EXhS1eei

Last name: Kenny
This most interesting surname is of Old Gaelic origin, found in Scotland and Ireland, and is the Anglicized form of the Gaelic "O Cionnaoith", composed of the Gaelic prefix "O", male descendant of, and the personal name "Coinneach", an Old Irish personal name borne by a 6th Century monk and saint who gave his name to the town of Kilkenny, "Church of Coinneach". The name is the seventy-sixth most popular name in Ireland, and the majority of the people so called belong to Counties Roscommon and Galway. The O'Kenny sept formed part of the Ui Maine (Hy Many) tribe. By coincidence Kenny is also the name of a prominent English family from Somerset, who through extensive intermarriage with County Galway families became important landowners there and in Roscommon. They descended from Nicholas Kenny, Escheator-General for Ireland under Elizabeth 1. The name in Scotland, may, in some instances, be the Anglicized form of the Gaelic personal name "Cionaodha", perhaps composed of "cion", respect, affection, and "Aodh", the pagan god of fire. The surname is first recorded in England because record keeping in Ireland has been perforce erratic since the 12th Century due to the upheavals of war and occupation. Rev. P.J. Kenny S.J. (1779 - 1841), was founder of Clongoweswood College, an exclusive private school in Ireland, and was one of the most distinguished Catholic preachers in the 19th Century. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Matyle Kennie, which was dated February 14th 1563, at St. Andrew's, Holborn, London, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Kenny#ixzz1EXhDczgp

Last name: Cain
This interesting surname has three possible sources; firstly, it may be of Old French origin, and is either a nickname for a tall, thin man, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who gathered reeds, which were needed in the Middle Ages as a floor covering, and for weaving small baskets, or a topographical name for someone who lived in a damp area overgrown with reeds. It derives from the Middle English "cane", a development of the Old French "cane", meaning cane, reed. Secondly, it may be a Norman locational name from the town of Caen, in Calvados, Normandy, named with the Gaulish elements "catu", battle, plus "magos" meaning field, plain. Finally, it may be of Welsh origin, deriving from the female given name "Keina", perhaps a short form of such Welsh personal names as "Ceindrych, Ceinwen", from the Welsh "cain" meaning beautiful. The surname dates back to the late 12th Century (see below). London Church Records list the marriage of Michaell Cain to Rebecca Chapell, on February 2nd 1600, at St. Bride's, Fleet Street. A Coat of Arms granted to a Cain family is black, a silver phoenix. The Crest is a demi antelope per fesse blue and silver, gold collared and armed. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Godfrey Kein, which was dated 1198, in the "Abbey of Bury St. Edmund's, Suffolk", during the reign of King Richard 1, known as "The Lionheart", 1189 - 1199. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Cain#ixzz1EXh4dWWA

Foster not Irish


Last name: Foster
This very interesting English medieval surname, the family name of the Lords Oriel of Ireland, has at least four possible origins. The first is an occupational name for a saddle tree maker, a very important occupation seven hundred or more years ago. Here the derivation is from the Old French "fustier", itself originating from the word "fustre", meaning a block of wood. This term was introduced into Britain after the 1066 Norman French invasion. Secondly, and again occupational, the name may describe a maker or user of "forcetier", these being steel shears widely used in both agriculture and textile production. A third possibility is that Foster is a contracted or dialectal spelling of Forester, a term which described a civil officer in charge of a forest. John Forester, who was recorded in the 1183 Pipe Rolls of the county of Surrey, was the first recorded bearer of this name. The last possible origin is very unusual. Here the derivation is from a shortened spelling of the Olde English pre 7th Century compound "cild-fostre", and as such an occupational nickname for a foster parent or possibly a foster child. John Foster, who was recorded in the 1373 Court Roll of the borough of Colchester, Essex, was of this source. The surname was one of the very first into the New England colonies of America. John Foster, age unknown, being recorded as being "alive in Virginea, on February 18th 1623". The first recorded spelling of the family name is probably that of Durand le Fuster, which was dated circa 1179, in the "Register of St. Bartholomew's Hospital", London, during the reign of King Henry 11nd, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Foster#ixzz1EXgsBLFO

think you'll find we've already done Kenny and Cain if you look back

Hi,

I am trying to find more information on my Irish roots, the surnames being:Kenny, Cain and Foster. I know the Fosters came from County Cavan, but do not know anything about the Kenny or Cains.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards

Rachel

I am attempting to trace my irsh roots from Hilltown, County Down Ireland.
Names are
McComish
Murphy
O'Hare
McComiskey
They all lived around the Leod Townlands!
any help would be greatly appreciated.

my mothers name was omahoney and she was born in limerick