Irish Identity

Where your folk
came from

MacNabb means ‘son of the abbot’, of Scottish origin and mainly found in Ulster.	Nagle a Co. Cork variant of the Norman, de Angelo. See Nangle. Some families of this name may be descendants of the obsolete Co. Sligo family name, MacNogly, which was derived from Mac anÓglaigh meaning ‘son of the soldier’. Co. Cork-born nun, Nano Nagle was the founder of the Presentation Order in late 18th Century and died in 1784.
MacNair Found in Ulster, a branch of the Scottish MacNaughton clan.	Nallen Has its origins in Co. Offaly, but also found in Mayo GAA teams past and present
Nally, MacNally, MacAnally Derived from the Irish Mac an Fhailghligh (son of the poor man). Found in western counties of Mayo and Roscommon without the prefix. Branches of the families in Monaghan tend to use the prefix. The Ulster family Mac Con Ulaidh (son of the hound of Ulster) were also anglicised as MacNally.	Nalty, MacNalty Found in north Connacht and adjoining counties of Ulster where in most instances the prefix has been dropped. Derived from the Irish for Œwild hound¹.
MacNamara Originally one of the most important families in Co. Clare, where the name is still commonplace and means ‘son of the hound of the sea’.	McNamee Has its origins in east Tyrone, where the family were poets to the O’Neills. Derived from the Irish for ‘hound of Meath’.
Nanany a rare Co. Roscommon name that is some cases has evolved into Leonard	Nangle Derived from the Norman de Angelo. Originated in Co. Meath and found in parts of Leinster and Connacht
Napper Derived from Napier (which comes from the French word for Œmaker of tablecloths¹.) and the name of a west of England family which settled in Meath in the early 17th Century.	Nash Originally an English surname found in parts of Limerick and Kerry.
MacNaught A form of McKnight found in Co. Donegal and sometimes a shortened form of MacNaughton.	Naughton Has its origins in Co. Clare and also on the Galway – Roscommon border. Possibly derived from the word meaning ‘bright’ and ‘pure’. Has several variants including Naghten, Nocton, Knockton, Natton and even Norton.
MacNaughton Not to be confused with Naughton or O’Naughton, this is a Scottish surname.	Naylor Rare surname introduced to Dublin in the early 17th Century and quite commonplace in Co. Limerick, Offaly and Dublin in the late 19th Century.
Nealon See Neylon.	MacNeany See McEnaney
Neary Originated in north Connacht and possibly derived from the Irish for ‘modest’.	MacNee A Scottish surname and part of the MacGregor clan. Also a variant of the separate Connacht surnames MacNea, MacNeagh and MacNay derived from the Irish MacNiadh (son of the champion)
Nee, Needham Of Co. Galway origin, same derivation as MacNee sometimes anglicised as Needham in Co. Mayo. See Neville.	Neely Originated from a Co. Galway surname, Mac Conghaile, (the hound of Gaola or Gowla in Co. Galway). Sometimes anglicised as Conneely.
Neenan Derived from an Irish word for ‘child’ and originated in Co. Clare and some cases changed to Noonan.	Neeson An Ulster surname from the Irish MacAonghusa. The Ballymena born actor Liam Neeson is the best known of that surname.
MacNeice A variant of Neeson, also connected to McGuinness and MacGennis families.	Neilan See Neylon.
MacNeill Originally from western families and settled in parts of Antrim and Derry in the early 14th Century, while another branch settled in Mayo.
O’Neill Found throughout Ireland, particularly in Tyrone, derry, Armagh and Antrim as well as Carlow and the Waterford – Tipperary border. The leading family in Tyrone until the early 17th Century when the old Irish system collapsed after the Battle of Kinsale. Descended from the famous Niall of the Nine Hostages who reputedly brought St. Patrick to Ireland as a boy slave.	MacNeilly An old Antrim surname meaning ‘son of the poet’. Though distinct in origin from Conneely and Neely it is sometimes anglicised as the latter.
Nelson Originated in Scotland and quite common in Dublin and parts of Ulster. Derived from a Norse form of Niall.	Nish, MacNish, MacNeish Part of the MacGregor clan found in Ulster and sometimes a variant of MacNiece.
Neligan Associated with Cos. Cork and Kerry, but originated in Ballynelligan, near Lismore Co. Waterford.	MacNelis A Co. Donegal surname from the Irish MacNiallghuis meaning ‘son of vigourous Niall’.
Nerney a north Connacht variation on McInerney.	Nesbitt Associated with northern counties and of English origin. Introduced in pre-Cromwellian times.
Nestor Originated in Co. Clare also associated with Cos. Mayo and Galway. Derived from the Irish for ‘short man of the halter’. The trophy for the Connacht Senior Football Championship is called the Nestor Cup.	Neville The Nevilles in the south-eastern counties of Wexford and Kilkenny were of French origin (via England). In Co. Limerick the surname is an anglicisation of Nee.
Nevin Originated in south Galway as MacNevin, where the family were noted poets and physicians. The prefix is rarely used and in parts of Mayo has been changed to Navin.	Newell Of Co. Kildare origin. The Co. Down family of this name are of English origin. The name has in some places been anglicised as Knowles.
Newman Found as early as the 13th Century in Dublin and now one of the most numerous surnames of English origin. Nowadays found in Cos. Meath and Cork.	Neylon A Co. Clare surname similar in origin to O’Neill.
Niblock Associated with Cos. Antrim and Derry and found on Derry GAA teams past and present	MacNicholas Has its origins in Cos. Tyrone and Mayo and descended from the Norman de Burgo family.
MacNicholl Originated in Co. Tyrone. Nicholls, Nicholson and Nicholl are variations of it, but also that of immigrant families.	MacNiff a form of Cunniffe which originated in Co. Leitrim.
Nihan See Nyhan	Nix a name used for branches of the Woulfe family in Co. Limerick.
Nixon An English surname introduced into Co. Fermanagh during the Plantation of Ulster (1609). A branch of the family later settled in Co. Wicklow. A Quaker ancestor of Richard Milhous Nixon is reputedly buried in Timahoe Co. Laois and the 37th President of the USA visited the grave in October 1970.	Noble Found mainly in Ulster and is or Norman-French origin and introduced into Ireland in the 13th Century. Means ‘well-known’ as well as ‘noble’.
Nolan Originated in Co. Carlow where in olden times the chief of the family was also Prince of Foherta, the barony of Forth in Co. Carlow. A branch of the family migrated to east Connacht and the name is also found in Co. Kerry.	Noonan Has its origins on the Cork-Limerick border. See Neenan.
Noone A Co. Sligo name and found in all parts of Connacht. Said to be descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages.	Norman Of Norman origin, but means ‘man from the north’ rather than Normandy. Mainly found in Dublin, but in the past associated with Ulster, particularly Co. Derry.
Normoyle A Co. Clare name meaning ‘hound of Formoyle’, also found in neighbouring Co. Limerick.	Norris Anglo-French in origin, meaning ‘northerner’ or ‘Norseman’. Introduced into Ireland in Elizabethan times.
Norton See Naughton.	Notley, Nutley Derived from several English placenames and introduced into Ireland in the 17th Century. Associated with Cos. Dublin and Leitrim.
Nowlan variation of Nolan. The County GAA ground in Kilkenny is called Nowlan Park in memory of James Nowlan who was president of the GAA from 1901-1921.	Nugent One of the Norman families who became more Irish than the Irish themselves. Settled mainly in Co. Westmeath and also in Carrigaline, Co. Cork.
Nulty, MacNulty Originated in Co. Donegal and means ‘son of the Ulster man’. Found in Co. Meath without the prefix, but with the prefix in neighbouring Co. Louth. See also Down.	Nyhan Introduced into West Cork in the late 13th Century and still common in the that county.
Nyland a form of Neylon used in Co. Galway and Mayo.