In this article, we look at Irish Surnames – their origins and evolution. See if you can find the Irish surnames in your family tree in one of the sections below.

Do You Have Irish Famine Orphans in Your Family Tree?

When the Irish famine came to an end in the late 1840s, the workhouses were full to overflowing with those who were destitute, sick and unable to work. Over 4,000 orphan girls were removed from these workhouses and sent to the Australian colonies where they were to become domestic servants and wives to the many…

Where Did Kavanaugh Come From?

One Irish name has been in the news a lot over the past 2 weeks – not just in the USA but all over the world. That surname is “Kavanaugh” – or “Kavanagh” as it more commonly spelt here in Ireland. So, I thought I would give us all a little welcome distraction as we…

Have you heard of The Irish Banshee?

We coming to the end of Autumn here, but Halloween is just around the corner. The festival of Halloween has been known as “Samhain” (pronounced Sow-en) for many centuries in the Celtic world. It marked the time to bring the animals down from higher pastures. We entered into the darker half of the year –…

Do You Use an Advent Calendar in Your House?

When we look at Irish surnames today, it’s easy to get confused when we see names that appear to have several different spellings, some look very English or Scottish – how could they be Irish you ask – while other names appear to randomly have an “O” or “Mac” in front of them. Before We…