Connie Ellefson - A Genealogists Guide to Irish Names: A Reference for First Names from Ireland

A Genealogists Guide to Irish NamesA REFERENCE FOR FIRST NAMES FROM IRELANDby Connie Ellefson

Cincinnati, Ohio shopfamilytree.com An Irishman sailed with Columbus to the New World, another lived in the colony at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607, and another sailed with Henry Hudson. During the 1600s and 1700s, thousands of Irish immigrated as indentured servants (working several years to pay off their transatlantic passage), religious refugees (primarily Catholics), transported political prisoners and voluntary immigrants. Of 200,000 Irish-born immigrants in the U.S. by 1760, an estimated 40,000 were true Irish, the rest being Scotch-Irish (see chapter on Scotland). Many Scotch-Irish settled in deep, southern backwoods areas in order to be as far from the English as possible. Between 1820 and 1840, one-third of immigrants to America were born in Ireland; during the 1840s, just over 45 percent of the arrivals were Irish.

After about 1815, landlords had been gradually increasing rents to exorbitant rates as well as summarily turning out their tenant farmers in order to expand their own farming operations. This practice, combined with the potato famine of 1845, caused a constant state of near-starvation among peasant farmers. Between 1845 and 1851, approximately one million Irish died of starvation and disease, and another million emigrated to escape the deprivation. After the famine was over, Irish continued to emigrate. Emigration became for many a predictable life event, to be fit in between birth and death. Irish immigration reached a peak in the 1850s, when over 900,000arrived in the U.S.

Large numbers continued to arrive through the 1920s although the percentage of the total immigrants gradually declined. A total of 4.7 million Irish immigrated to the U.S. between 1820 and 1982. Most Irish immigrants settled in the Northeast, although significant numbers then migrated to the West Coast states after staying in the eastern cities for a while. In 1870, Irish were the largest foreign-born group in California, and from the early nineteenth century, Irish were always among the first groups in the drive west. However, they were less likely to homestead than some other immigrant groups, because in Ireland they had been used to working small plots of established ground during the day and joining their near neighbors in the evening for friendly gossip and relaxation.

The lonely life of a sodbuster, miles from the closest neighbor, did not suit the Irish temperament. As a result, four out of five Irish immigrants settled in cities, working as laborers, domestics and factory workers. After World War I, Irish emigration resumed; however, the destination then was much more likely to be England than America. Immigration from Ireland was very low during the 1930s and 1940s (as from all countries). After World War II, it averaged about 5,000 each year in the 1950s, and has now dwindled to about 1,000 per year.

Old Irish names are very popular in Ireland now.

The Irish language is a Celtic language closely related to Scottish Gaelic and spoken now only in certain areas along the western seaboard. In attempting to decipher the Irish pronunciation, one can come to appreciate the difficulty people must have in learning English. Its been pointed out that the letters ough can be pronounced five different ways in English with no real clue as to which one goes where (plough, trough, thought, rough and though). The Irish language has similar irregularities as well as a different syntax. Several purely Irish names have been included in the name list as well as the Anglicized versions of them that have developed in Ireland.

Abaigeal (AB-i-gel) (H) father of joy; Abigail, Abaigh (AB-ee), Abbie Affrica (Gael) pleasant Agata (Gr) good; Agatha Aghna (EH-nuh) Irish for Agnes (Gr) gentle, pure; Ina Aifric (A-frik) (Celt) pleasant; Afric, Africa, Aphria Aigneis (AG-nesh) (Gr) gentle, pure; Agnes Ailbhe (AL-vyuh) (OGer) noble, bright; Alvy, Elva (boys name, too) Aileetl (A-leen) (Gr) light; Ellen Ailidh (A-lee) (OGer) noble, kind; Alley Ailfs (A-lish) (OGer) noble, kind; Alicia, Elsha, Ailis, Ailse (A-lish) Aimilfona (a-mil-EE-nuh) (Teut) industrious; Amelia ine (AN-yuh) (Celt) joy; Anne Aingeal (AN-gel) (Gr) messenger; Angela Aisling (ASH-ling) vision, dream; Ashling Aithne (ATH-nyuh) (Celt) fire; Aine, Ena, Ethne Alastrona (al-is-TREE-nah) (Gr) defender of mankind; Alastrina, Alexandra Alma (Celt) good nna (H) differs from native Aine; grace; Anne Annsts (AN-stahs) (Gr) resurrection; Anastasia Aodhnait (EH-nat) ancient Irish name; Enat, Ena, Eny Aoibheann (WEE-vuhn) ancient Irish name; Eavan Aoife (WEE-fyuh) (H) life; Eva Arienh (A-reen) (Gael) pledge Arlana (Celt) pledge Bab (BEHB) pet name; Babe Birbre (BAR-bruh) (Gr) a stranger; Baibin (BAB-een), Barbara Bbhinn (BEH-vin) melodious lady; Bevin Bean Mh (BEN-vee) Lady of Meath; Benvy Bernadette feminine for Bernard (OGer) courage of a bear Blair (Celt) from the plain Blanche (L) white Blthnaid (BLA-na) blossom, flower bud; Florence Blinne diminutive of Moninne (an Irish saint) Brenna (Celt) dark hair Bretta (Celt) from Britain; Bret, Brit, Brite, Brittany, Brita Briana (Celt) strong Bride (Celt) strength; Briget, Bridget, Brietta Brghid(BRIDE)(Celt) strength; Brid(BREED), Bride, Breeda Brigid (Celt) strength; Bridget Brina (Celt) protector Brit (Celt) speckled Cait (KATE) (Gr) pure; Caiti (KAT-ty) Caitlin (KAT-leen) (Gr) pure; Caitilin Caitrn (KAT-reen) (Gr) pure; Caitriona (kat-TREE-nuh), Catherine Caoilfhionn (KEE-lin) (Celt) slender, fair; Keelin Caoimhe (KEE-vy) gentleness, beauty, grace; Keavy Cara (Celt) friend; Carrie, Carry Carmel (H) vineyard Christine (Gr) Christian Ciannait (KEE-nat or KIN-nat) ancient; Kinnat, Keenat Ciar (KEER) saint; Ciara, Ceire (KEHR), Keara Cinnie (Celt) beauty Clare (L) bright, clear Clodagh (KLOH-dah) river in County Tipperary Cordelia (Celt) jewel of the sea Cristn (KRIS-teen) (L) Christian; Cristiona (kris-TEE-nuh) Damhnait (DEV-nat) poet; Devnet, Downet, Dymphna Dana (Celt) from Denmark Darcy (OFr) from Arcy Dearbhil (DER-vahl) true desire; Derval Deirdre ancient Irish name, mythological heroine; young girl; Derdre Derval true desire Devnet poet; Downet Doireann (DOR-en) sullen or diminutive of Dorothy (Gr) gift of God; Dorren Doreen (Celt) moody Duana (Gael) song adaoin (eh-DEEN) feminine for Edwin (OGer) happy friend; Edwina EdanaNext page