Irish Identity

Where your folk
came from

MacGaffey Associated with south Roscommon.	Gaffney Connected to Keaveney, Caulfield, McCarron and Gaughney.
MacGaffrey Variant of MacCaffrey. See Leitrim.	MacGagh Seen in Mayo and Galway.
MacGahan Or Gahon. Found in Dundalk and surrounding areas.	MacGahern Found in Cavan. Linked to Gaughran.
MacGahey Closely connected to the county Tyrone MacCaughey. Seen in Monaghan.	Galbraith A Scots name popular in Ulster. See also Laois and Offaly.
Gallagher One of the great clans of Donegal. Many different variants.	Gallen Found in Donegal.
Gallery Formerly MacGillereagh. See Clare.	Galligan Originally Sligo and linked to Gilligan. Quite common name in Cavan.
Gallina Or Gallinagh. On record in Donegal.	Gallogly Gologly in Monaghan. A Donegal name often anglicised to English and Englishby.
Gallon Seen in Leitrim.	Galvin Or Galvan. A Clare sept now numerous in Kerry. See also Tipperary and Waterford.
Galway Or Galwey. The ays obtain their name from the place name. The eys, especially in Ulster derived theirs from Galloway in Scotland.	Gamble An old Cork family nowadays mostly recorded in Ulster.
MacGammon A Clare name.	Ganly Or Gantley. A variant of Shanley. Found in Galway.
MacGann Linked to MacCann in Connacht.	Gannon From MacFhionnáin, meaning fair. An old Mayo name, see also Leitrim and Galway.
O’Gara Related to the O’Hara’s. Common in north Connacht.	Garragan Found in Meath.
MacGarahy A variant of Garrihy or Geraghty.	Garavan See Mayo.
Gargan Connected to Garrigan and found in Cavan and Meath.	Garland Norman and common enough in Louth, Monaghan and north Meath area.
MacGarrahan Or Garaghan. Recorded in Fermanagh, Cavan, Leitrim zone.	MacGarraher A Donegal name. See also Roscommon.
Garrett Usually of English origin and popular in the north east. Sometimes a synonym of Fitzgerald.	Garrigan Related to Gargan. See Meath and Cavan.
MacGarry In Leinster area, it is usually without the prefix. See Meath and Westmeath. Mac can be seen in north western counties of Mayo, Sligo and Donegal.	Gartlan A Tyrone sept.
MacGarty A variant of Geraghty found in Leitrim and Cavan.	Garvan Also Garvin. Related to the Moriartys of Kerry. Now usually changed to Garvey in this part of the south west.
MacGarvey A Donegal name also found in parts of west Tyrone.	Garvey Related to the O’Hanlons in the Oriel counties. See Kerry.
Garvin Often changed to Garvan. Originally Tyrone-Derry who migrated to Mayo.	Gately Found in south Roscommon.
Gaughan A north Connacht sept connected to Gahan and Gavaghan.	MacGauran Related to MacGovern.
Gavaghan Found in Roscommon and Mayo.	Gavan Or Gavin, which is the most common. Found in Mayo. See also Westmeath.
Gavigan A variant of Gavaghan and regularly seen in Donegal. Also other parts of the north west.	MacGawley See MacAuley.
Gaynor From MacFhionnbhairr which means fair headed one. See Longford.	MacGeady On record in Donegal.
MacGeagh Found in Derry and Donegal.	MacGeaney Or Geeney. A south Armagh name.
O’Geaney Popular enough in Cork.	MacGearn From the Glenties area of Donegal.
MacGearty See Garty.	Geary Usually associated with Cork.
MacGee MacAoidh, son of Hugh and generally a Donegal name. Spelt Magee in Antrim.	MacGeehan Another Donegal clan, sometimes spelt Mageean.
Geelan Seen in Leitrim.	Geoghegan Rarely Gehegan. Related to the O’Neills. Generally found in the midland areas of Westmeath, Offaly and Galway.
George English and seen mostly in Ulster.	MacGeough Or MacGough. A Louth, Down, Monaghan, Armagh name.
MacGeown Linked to MacKeown.	Geraghty MacAireachtaigh which means a member of assembly. Many variants including Geretty and Garrity. Popular in Roscommon, Mayo and Galway.
Gerrard English but could be linked to Fitzgerald.	MacGetrick Found in Sligo.
MacGettigan Originally Tyrone, now mostly Donegal and neighbouring parts of Derry.	Getty Could be from the Scottish Dalgetty or the Irish MacEitigh. See the north eastern counties.
MacGhee A Scottish form of MacGee.	Gibbons A branch of the Connacht Burkes or from the Norman Fitzgibbon. Common in Mayo.
Giblin Ecclesiastics from the diocese of Elphin in Roscommon.	Gibney From O’Gibne which means a lock of hair. Most Gibneys can trace their ancestry back to the north Meath village of Moylough.
Gibson Scottish and a branch of clan Buchanan. Numerous in eastern counties and Belfast area.	MacGiffen Regularly seen in Antrim, Derry and Tyrone.
MacGifford Scottish. See Down.	Gilbert English and seen in Louth and Meath.
Gilbey English but O Giolla Bhuidhe is often anglicised to read Gilboy.	Gilchrist See the Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon and Longford area.
Gildea A popular Donegal sept.	Gildowney Linked to MacEldowney and Muldowney.
Giles Usually of English origin. Sometimes though the anglicisation of O’Glaisne. See Meath.	Gilfoyle Or Guilfoyle. Originally from Ely O’Carroll country in Offaly. Check Clare area.
Gilgan From north Leitrim and Sligo. No connection to Gilligan.	MacGilheany Seen in Cavan.
Gilhooly From the Leitrim-Roscommon sector and closely linked to Mulvey.	Gill Or MacGill or Magill in Down area. See Mayo.
Gillan Or Gillen. From giolla meaning boy. From north western counties of Sligo, Donegal and Tyrone.	Gillanders A Monaghan name.
MacGilleece A variant of MacAleese in west Ulster.	Gilleen Or Gillan and Gillen.
Gilleran A Roscommon name.	Gillespie MacGiolla Easpuig (bishop). Originally Down, now popular in Donegal.
MacGillick Related to the Burkes of Connacht. Common in Cavan where the prefix is often left out.	MacGilligan A leading Derry family where it is often spelt Magilligan. Gilligan itself can be seen in numbers around the Sligo-Mayo area.
MacGilliland Found in east Ulster, linked to MacLellan.	Gillis Scottish, sometimes used for MacAleese.
Gillooly See Gilhooly.	MacGillycuddy A branch of the O’Sullivans and always associated with Kerry.
Gilmartin Related to the O’Neills of Fermanagh and Tyrone. Kilmartin in Connacht.	Gilmore Common in Ulster, especially Down. Also seen in Connacht.
Gilna Or Gilnagh. Seen in Roscommon and Longford.	Gilpatrick An anglicisation of MacGiolla Phadraig. Linked to Fitzpatrick.
Gilpin On record in parts of south Ulster.	Gilroy Close relation of MacElroy and MacIlroy. Kilroy in Connacht. See Tyrone and Fermanagh.
Gilsenan Originally Tyrone but now mostly associated with the Meath-Cavan area. A close relation of Leonard and Nugent. Also Shannon.	Gilson Connected to Gilsenan.
MacGilvarry On record in north Connacht and Donegal.	MacGimpsey Numerous in the Newtownards area of north Down.
MacGing Used in Mayo and Leitrim. It becomes MacGinn in Tyrone and Maginn in east Ulster.	MacGinley A Donegal name not connected to MacKinley.
Ginnane From west Clare. Popular throughout Tipperary and Offaly where it is usually spelt Guinane or Guinan.	Ginnell Seen in Westmeath.
MacGinnis Also and usually MacGuinness. MacAonghusa (son of Angus). A great Down clan well known in the business world. See MacGenis and Magennis.	MacGinty A Donegal sept, often changed to MacGinnity in Monaghan and Fermanagh, to Ginity in Meath and Ginty or Genty in north Connacht.
MacGirl Sometimes anglicised MacGarrell. Found along Cavan-Leitrim border. Lined to MacCarrigle in Donegal.	MacGirr An Armagh-Tyrone name where it often became Short.
Given Associated with Donegal.	MacGivern A popular Down name, seen in neighbouring parts of Armagh and Louth. Amazingly related to Biggar and Montgomery.
MacGinney A Cavan name with links to MacAvinna, MacAvinue and MacEvinney.	Glacken Popular in Donegal.
Gladdery Seen in Galway and Tyrone.	MacGlade Linked to both the Scottish MacLeod and Gladdery.
Glanville Norman and on record in Munster counties.	Glasgow Connected to MacCloskey. Also Scotland and the city. See Tyrone.
Glashan A Derry name often anglicised to Green.	Glasheen Seen in Cork and Tipperary.
Glass From the Irish glas (green) and associated with Antrim and Down.	Glavin With the Mac an Ulster family, without it is usually found in Cork and Kerry.
MacGlavy Or Glave. From MacLaithimh. Lamh means hand and hence the anglicisation to Hand.	MacGleen Connected to MacGlynn in east Connacht.
MacGleenan Found in Armagh and Tyrone	Gleeson A popular Tipperary name. See also Kerry.
Glenane Found in Tipperary.	Glendenning Scottish and found in the north east. Also Offaly.
Glendon Or Glindon. Forms of MacLindon and MacAlinden in Down and Armagh.	Glennon Leann means cloak and is quite numerous in the Westmeath-Offaly area.
MacGlew Found in Louth and connected to MacAleavy and MacLeod.	MacGlinchy A Donegal, Derry, Tyrone version of Lynch.
MacGloin Or Glone or Gloon. A Donegal, west Tyrone name. Also found in Leitrim.	MacGlory Or Glowry. An Antrim, Armagh, Down name. Also see Kilkenny.
Glover English and common enough in Ulster.	MacGlynn Usually without the prefix and common enough in east Galway.
Godfrey An English name but most Irish of this name are from MacGothraidh, a branch of the Maguires in Fermanagh. This is also anglicised to read MacCorry, MacCurry, MacGorry. Also linked to Gohery and MacGoffrey.	Godwin Or Goodwin. Are usually the anglicisation of O’Dea in Connacht, McGoldrick in Tyrone and MacGuigan, both in Tyrone and Derry.
MacGoey Found in Leitrim and Longford.	Goff Connected to Gough. See the south east, Dublin and Meath.
Gogan Or Goggin. A form of Cogan in Cork. For Goggin see Meath.	Gogarty No relation to Fogarty and found in Meath.
Gohery From the Norse name Gothfrith. Often changed to Godfrey. See Tipperary-Offaly.	Going On record in Tipperary.
Golden Or Goulding. Generally the anglicisation of Ó Góilín in Cork. Or MacGoldrick in Leitrim. For Golden see Mayo.	MacGoldrick Often without the D. See Fermanagh-Leitrim-South Donegal area.
Gologly See Gallogly.	MacGonigal Or McGonigle. A Donegal name.
Gonne Different interpretations to origin.	MacGonnell See MacConnell.
Gonoude A synonym of Conway in the Offaly-Westmeath area.	Good English and common enough in Cork. See also Laois.
Goodbody A well known Offaly business family.	Goodfellow Said to be the anglicisation of MacUiginn (MacGuigan) in Tyrone.
Goodman Associated with Dublin. English origin.	MacGoohan Recorded in Leitrim.
Goold Or Gould. English and usually seen in Cork.	Goonan A Clare name linked to Gunning.
MacGoarty Or MacGourkey. Sometimes anglicised to Darcy. See Fermanagh and Leitrim.	Gordon Scottish and fairly popular in Ulster. Connected with the Down-Antrim name Magournahan.
Gore A prominent Anglo-Irish family and seen in the Mayo-Sligo sector as well as Clare and Meath.	Gorevan See also Gorovan and Gooravan. Also Garvin. Perhaps MacGovern. Found in Sligo and Mayo.
Gorey No connection to the Wexford town. Linked to Gorry and Gurey. Gorry is common enough in Meath and Westmeath.	Gorham Sometimes from O’Guarin. Generally English. See Kerry and Louth.
MacGorish Seen in Monaghan.	MacGorman Or O’Gorman in Munster and particularly the Clare area. Macs are found in Monaghan.
Gormley Or Gormally. A well known Tyrone name. Sometimes linked to Gorman and Grimes.	MacGorry A branch of the O’Reillys seen in Cavan.
Gorry See Gorey.	Goslin Or Gosling. Recorded in Meath-Louth area.
Gough At times linked to MacGeough. A Welsh family of the name Goch came to Ireland in the thirteenth century. See Meath.	Gould See Goold.
Goulding See Golden.	MacGourley Linked to MacTurley in Antrim and Tyrone.
MacGovern Or MacGovarn, Gowran and Magauran. A north Cavan name.	Governey Seen in Carlow and surrounding areas.
Gow From Gabha which means blacksmith. Changed to Smith in Cavan and Meath.	MacGowan In Cavan most MacGowans were anglicised to Smith. Still found around the Breffni county.
O’Gowan An Armagh-Down clan also changed to Smith.	Grace Norman and usually associated with Kilkenny.
Graddy Seen in Cork.	MacGrady A Down name.
Grady Generally found with the prefix O. Seen in large numbers in Clare and in the Sligo-Mayo sector.	Graham Scottish and popular not alone in Ulster but throughout. See Gormley and Grehan for connections.
Grainger Common in Antrim area.	MacGranahan Or Grenaghan. Usually associated with Donegal.
MacGrane Found in north Leinster and south Ulster. Often spelt MacGrann.	MacGraney Or Granny. See Antrim, sometimes changed to Grant.
Granfield Or Granville and Grandfield. Associated with Kerry.	Grant Scottish but common and especially throughout the eastern part of Ireland.
MacGrath Or Magrath. Sometimes MacGraw in Down and MacGragh in Donegal. Two main bodies. The Clare-Waterford area. Part of this clan migrated to Waterford while the other sept marks Donegal as its homeland.	MacGrattan Generally seen in the north Ulster area.
Graves Or Greeves and Greaves. English and on record in Tyrone, Cork and Offaly.	Gray English but those in Connacht and Longford are from the Irish Culreavy.
MacGread Or Grade. Seen in Donegal and Tyrone. Sometimes a synonym of McGrath.	MacGready A Mayo-Roscommon clan. Strong links to Grady.
MacGreal Related to the MacNeills-Galloglass family who settled in north Connacht.	Grealish A Galway name.
Greally Connected to O’Reilly. From Galway-Mayo.	Greaney A popular enough Kerry name.
MacGreen Seen in west Clare.	Greenan On record in Cavan, Monaghan and Sligo.
Greene English but most times in Ireland the anglicisation of such names as Guerin, Greenan, Mac Glashan, Fahy, Mac Green and Houneen.	Greer Connected to the Scottish MacGegor. Again see Ulster.
MacGreevy A respected Roscommon-Leitrim sept.	MacGregan Seen in Wicklow and Wexford.
Gregory An English family, long time associations with Kerry and Galway.	Grehan The very mid sector - counties Offaly, Westmeath and Roscommon is their home.
MacGrellis An Ulster name linked to Grealish.	Grennan O’Grianóin. Grian means son. Seen in Mayo and Monaghan. In Offaly area it is of Norman origin.
Gribben Found in Derry, Antrim, Armagh and Down.	Griffin A south Kerry name. See also Clare and Limerick.
Griffith Usually Welsh.	Grimes Both English and Irish origins. Popular enough in Ulster and Louth-Meath area.
Grimley An Armagh version of Gormley.	MacGriskin Seen in Leitrim.
Groarke Or Grourke is found in Mayo.	MacGroarty Long time association with Donegal.
Groden The anglicisation of Mag Rodáin in Connacht.	MacGroddy Found in Donegal. Often spelt MacGroudy or MacGruddy there.
Grogan A Roscommon-Offaly clan sometimes titled Grugan and Groggan in parts of Ulster.	MacGrory Ulster and linked to MacRory.
MacGrotty Belongs to the Derry-Tyrone borderline.	MacGrowder Or Grodder and Groder. Seen in Monaghan.
Growney A form of the Oriel MacCarron. Found in Meath and Westmeath.	MacGuane A Clare name
Gubbins From the Irish O’Goibín (meaning big mouth) in the north west but from the French Giboin or German Gebawin in Limerick.	MacGuckin A Derry-Tyrone name while Guckian is associated with Leitrim.
Guerin Huguenot and Irish origins. Seen in goodish numbers in the Limerick area. Changed to Geran or Gerin in Kerry. Connected to MacGivern in Down.	Gurdera Or Guider. Seen in north Tipperary.
MacGuigan A very common Tyrone name. Also seen in large numbers in neighbouring south Derry. Connected to MacGoogan, MacGookin, MacGuckian, MacQuiggan, MacWiggin and both Fidgeon and Pidgeon in Monaghan.	Guihan Or Guiheen. A Roscommon clan. See also Kerry.
Guilfoyle See Gilfoyle.	MacGuill No connection to MacGill. On record in Armagh.
Guiney Found in Kerry and Cork.	MacGuinness Spelt MacGenis and Magennis. A powerful Down sept.
MacGuire Or the equally popular Maguire. Originally an influential Fermanagh clan who spread into neighbouring areas of north Cavan.	MacGuirk Or Gurk. A Tyrone sept and nowadays found also in large numbers in Derry. On record as Gurk in Meath.
Guiry See Limerick and Waterford.	Guissane On record in west Clare. See Kissane.
MacGullian Or Magullian and found in Leitrim and Longford.	Gunn Can be English or Scottish. However most Irish Gunns are an abbreviation of Gilgunn and MacElgunn.
Gunnell A synonym of MacGonigal. See Louth.	Gunning A common name in Offaly. In Ulster it is usually of English origin.
Gunshenan See Longford.	MacGurk See MacGuirk.
MacGurnahan Found in Down.	MacGushen On record in Leitrim.
Guthrie Scottish but a synonym of Lahiff in Clare.	Guy French. See Meath.
Gwynn Welsh origin. Dublin area.