Surname O Guinidhe - Meaning and Origin
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O Guinidhe: What does the surname O Guinidhe mean?
The last name O Guinidhe is derived from the Irish Gaelic “O” prefix meaning “grandson of” or “descendant of.” The second part of the name “Guinidhe” is a variation of “Guinide” which translates to “blazing” in Gaelic.
The name O Guinidhe is closely associated to families who have origins in the Western Irish Province of Connacht. This name has been in existence since the 11th century when Ireland was mostly made up of small kingdoms and clans.
A majority of those who carry this name are of direct descent or related to a local noble family of the same name. The nobles of this surname were distinguished warriors who held lands in the present day county of Galway. They were fiercely brave and had a reputation of using force to protect their lands.
It is believed that the original patriarch of the O Guinidhe surname was named Guinide Mor, who was reportedly a conquering warrior during the 13th century. It is said that O Guinidhe's father was a man by the Lochlainn clan, who was most likely a vassal to a local king. This was the time period when ancient titles of nobility, were being established and passed down, which explains why the O Guinidhe surname became a noble title.
Even though there are fewer members of this clan, today it still holds relevance and is seen as a symbol of Irish heritage and nobility. This name O Guinidhe has since been adopted by many other families especially in the United States. It continues to be a reminder of Irish ancestry, once associated with warriors, strength and courage.
Order DNA origin analysisO Guinidhe: Where does the name O Guinidhe come from?
The surname O Guinidhe (or O Guinidy) is commonly found in Ireland today. It is an Irish-Gaelic surname, derived from the personal name "O Guinidh", which translates to "descendant of Guinidh" (Guinidh is the Gaelic spelling of the Old Norse name Gunnarr).
The surname has been found mainly in County Cork and County Kerry, located in the southwest of Ireland. In the 1890s, the surname was particularly associated with the townlands of Currahy North, Currahy North Beg, and Knockane, which are all located in north Cork. However, it is possible to find O Guinidhe families in other locations across the country, especially with the mobility of modern day society.
The population of people with the O Guinidhe surname is relatively small. According to the 2019 Irish census, only 337 people in the country have the surname. This makes up only 0.0022% of all surnames registered in the Republic of Ireland.
Many Irish surnames are associated with a specific family line. However, in the case of O Guinidhe it has been found among the descendants of several small septs, or families, in the early medieval period. Septs with the surname included the O hOisin family of Muskerry, the O Floinn of Inchiquin in County Clare, and the Mac an Chnuic of Mayo.
While the surname is relatively uncommon today, it is possible to find O Guinidhe families living in Ireland. It is also possible to use DNA testing to trace family lineages back to the medieval septs which first used the surname.
Variations of the surname O Guinidhe
The surname O Guinidhe, is derived from the Irish surname Ó Guinide, native to Counties Galway and Kerry, and is the Gaelic word for "descendent of Guinide".
Variations of O Guinidhe include Ó Ginide, O Ginidy, O Ginidey, O Ginide, O Gynidy, O Ginidey, Guinid, Guinidde or Guinice. The name is spelled differently according to personal preference.
The variants O Ginidey, O Ginidy, O Gynidy, and O Ginidey are spellings of the Irish surname mentione above, Ó Guinide.
Surnames of the same origin as Ó Guinide include Ó Guinide, Ó Guinneáin, and Ogunnane. In addition to these, the surname Ó hUinimate is derived from the Irish surname Ó hUinimate and to a lesser extent, Guinid, Guinidde, Gwyndd or Gwynedd.
The surname Ó Guinide has also been Anglicised to the form Anguish. Some Irish families Anglicised the name to Golding in 1861.
The O Guinidhe surname can be found throughout Ireland and other countries after several Irish immigrants settled in different parts of the world. During some migrations, the name suffered significant changes in spelling. However, each of them is sourced from the IrishEL surname Ó Guinide.
Famous people with the name O Guinidhe
- Eanna Ó Guinidhe: Irish historian.
- Eamoinn Ó Guinidhe: Irish novelist.
- Pádraig Ó Guinidhe: Irish dramatist and poet.
- Eamon Ó Guinidhe: Irish actor.
- John O'Guinidhe: former head of the Irish Film Board.
- Seamus Ó Guinidhe: Irish sculptor and conceptual artist.
- Diarmuid Ó Guinidhe: Irish historian and academic.
- Clíodhna Ó Guinidhe: Irish opera singer from County Mayo.
- Síghle Ó Guinidhe: award winning Irish pianist.
- Terry O' Guinidhe: former mayor of Limerick, Ireland and prominent political figure.