The surname Duffy, the anglicized form of O'Dubhthaigh, is a personal name derived from the Gaelic word dubh, meaning black or swarthy. While the name is widespread throughout Ireland in different forms, the original homeland of the Duffy clan was Monaghan. Duffy appears most often in the 18th century list of clergy compiled for that county in accordance with the Penal … [Read more...] about Roots: Duffy, Duhig, Dowey and Doohey
Roots
Roots: The Lynch Family
The Lynch family derives from several independent clans. One of these is the Norman family De Lench who came to Ireland in the 12th century and were the most prominent of the "Tribes of Galway." These were the 14 Norman families who controlled this important medieval trading city and made it one of the few outposts in the West of Ireland that was loyal to the British crown. An … [Read more...] about Roots: The Lynch Family
Roots: Using Church Records
To do successful family history research you must know where to look. Knowing the sources and what they can tell you is vital to success. Irish church records are probably the best place to start. They are among the earliest and undoubtedly the most comprehensive sources of personal information available to family researchers. They are often the only evidence of the … [Read more...] about Roots: Using Church Records
Roots: The Curran Clan
The surname Curran is common in all four provinces in Ireland, but especially in County Donegal and throughout Ulster. The name is also prevalent in the south of Ireland, appearing many times in the County Tipperary Hearth Money Rolls of 1665-7. Currans showed up frequently as Waterford residents in the census of 1659. The 1901 census in Kerry counted 142 Curran or Currane … [Read more...] about Roots: The Curran Clan
Roots: O’Malley and Molloys
By James G. Ryan
February / March 2000
These two families, although unrelated, share the same origin of their names, i.e. both are thought to derive from the Gaelic word for chieftain. The O'Malley family (from the Gaelic O'Maille) are very closely associated with the area of North Connaught and were, in ancient times, the Lords of the Mayo baronies of Murrisk and Burrishoole. The name is rarely found without the O, … [Read more...] about Roots: O’Malley and Molloys