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Archiver > NY-IRISH > 2006-11 > 1162763396
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Subject: Re: [NY-IRISH] Unusual First Names - Using them to narrow downgeographic origin and migration
Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2006 16:49:56 -0500
In-Reply-To: <000001c700dc$205e6210$41233618@HIGGINS>
Hi Clare,
I think this is a great topic. First names often tell you a lot about
ancestry. If you meet someone by the name of Kevin DiVirgilio, you can
assume his mom is Irish. But it gets better. Sometimes you can even assign
a probability to where they came from based on the first name. Here's a
good example: http://www.glenncourt.com/words/stuff_puritannames.shtml .
Relatedly, when looking at American Revolution muster rolls, the New England
Irish in public records (even when obviously Irish-speaking or known to be
Irish-speaking) have a high proportion of Old Testament names like Ezekial,
Nehemiah, Jeremiah, etc., at least in the public records, just like their
Puritan neighbors. Some of these Revolutionary War New England Irish even
have "hortatory" names (names based on Christian or cultural virtues, like
"Patience", "Submit", "Honesty", "Goodhand", etc.).
But as you move south from New England (and at the moment I'm looking at the
muster roll for the Pennsylvania Navy), I'm still seeing some Old Testament
names (Jesse , Nebuchadnezzar, Isaac, Elisha / Elija, Abner, Abraham, etc.)
for the Irish but these have become a small minority generally replaced by
the usual "cover names" for that time period such as Adam for Ádhamh,
Archibald for Giolla Easpaigh, Barney for Brian, Bartholomew for Parthalón,
Cornelius for Conchobhar, Dennis for Donnchadh, Daniel for Donnchadh and
Doinncheann, Darby/Jeremiah for Diarmuid, David for Daithí, Edward for
Éamonn, Florence for Flann and Finín, Francis for Proinsias, James for
Séamus, John for Seán, Lawrence and variations for Labhras, Lewis for
Lughaidh and Laoiseach, Michael for Mícheál, Thomas for Tomás, Timothy for
Tadhg, etc.
I'm also seeing phonetic renderings of actual Irish first names like Arthur
for Art, Bryan/Bryant for Brian, Colin for Coileán, Connor and variations
for Conchobhar, Duncan for Doinncheann, Donald for Domhnall, Edward/Edmund
for Éamonn, Garret for Gearóid, Hugh for Aodh, Lachlen and variations for
Lochlann (very popular amongst the Scots Gaeil), Morris / Maurice for
Muiris, Murdock for Muircheartach, Neal for Niall, Owen for Eoghan, Patrick
for Pádraig, Randle for Ranall, Redmond for Réamonn, etc.
But it would take more research to determine whether the middle colonies and
southern colonies were more willing to tolerate actual Irish first names.
In the meantime, if someone has a Colonial Irish ancestor with an Old
Testament first name, there's a higher likelihood that the ancestor came
through New England.
In contrast, I've noticed that the South had a much higher tendency to
preserve original Irish Gaelic pronunciation and even certain spelling
characteristics. On the pronunciation side, we'll find in the South the
name Dawley for Daley, Calley for Kelly, Clarey instead of Cleary, etc. All
of these are better pronunciations of the original Irish Gaelic names. As
examples on the spelling side, we'll find Cain instead of Kane and Calley
instead of Kelly, etc. because the letter 'K' doesn't exist in the Irish
alphabet.
Le gach dea-ghuí / Best, - Jerry
-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:]
On Behalf Of Clare Higgins
Sent: Sunday, November 05, 2006 8:13 AM
To:
Subject: [NY-IRISH] Unusual First Names
Would it be off-topic to talk about this? I just read the message about
Goodhand Clark.
In Gloucester, Mass., where I live, there are many historical homes built in
the 18th and 19th centuries, and they have signs that tell the names of the
original dwellers and the years they moved in. One house was lived in by a
young woman named Experience Tucker.
Clare Higgins
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