Tobin is not an indigenous Irish name, but the family can be regarded as having become completely hibernicized. Its Irish form, Toibín, is a gaelicized version of the Norman 'St. Aubyn.' Another interpretation is that the name was first called de St. Aubyn and the original bearers were from Aubyn, in Brittany, France.
According to the renowned Irish historian and genealogist, … [Read more...] about Irish Roots:
The History of the Tobins
Roots
Irish Roots:
Roots: The Keane / Kane Family
Keane and Kane are anglicizations of Ó Catháin from cath, meaning battle. There were two great septs of Ó Catháin in Co. Derry but in modern times, Keane, Kane and sometimes O'Kane are more common, Keane in Munster and Connaught and Kane in Ulster. Traditionally the two septs were quite distinct and it was believed that the prominent Clare Keanes were an offshoot of the Ulster … [Read more...] about Roots: The Keane / Kane Family
Roots: The Unimportance of Being Mulligan
Irish literature and lore shows Mulligan little respect. The very opening sentence of James Joyce's acclaimed Ulysses introduces Buck Mulligan, a ribald braggart who, before many pages, is borrowing a quid to "get gloriously drunk so as to astonish the druidy druids," making an utter fool of himself in a "jester's dress of puce and yellow and a clown's cap" and identifying … [Read more...] about Roots: The Unimportance of Being Mulligan
Roots: Caulfield: The Clan of Confusion
The name Caulfield is one about which much confusion arises. A name of several origins, few patronymics have acquired so many anglicized versions, the more common being MacCaul and MacCawell. Other variations include MacCall, MacHall, MacCarvill, MacCowhill, Callwell, Howell, Campbell and Gaffney. In parts of Galway and Mayo Caulfield has been used as the anglicized form of … [Read more...] about Roots: Caulfield: The Clan of Confusion
Irish Roots: Cusack The Warrior Clan
The Cusack name carries with it a fighting air. One of the most colorful examples is of one George Cusack whose parents wanted him to be a monk. He did not, so he ran away to fulfill every child's dream of becoming a pirate and was so ruthless, he was often known to throw his crew overboard during arguments. George may have gained his notoriety through his defiance, but … [Read more...] about Irish Roots: Cusack The Warrior Clan