De-Anglicisation of Names

**slohairt** · 22nd August 07, 09:50 PM

Dia Dhuit, mo charaí!

After a bit of consideration I have decided to reply to these posts. (Possibly because the names are easy ones?

)

For those gentle readers who have not read the earlier posts, I will clarify my intent. This thread is to provide the original Gaelic (Irish or Scottish) spelling of a particular Irish or Scottish name; hence the term "de-Anglicisation." For amusement sake, I also provide a translation or transliteration service for those names which are not based in Gaelic language/culture.

NOTE: This is NOT a Genealogy thread! Though some of the information may or may not prove useful to someone researching their family history, it should not be taken as an indication of someone's descent. People change names for many reasons and all may not be what it seems!

So, without further ado:

Butler: The Butlers, as any novice student of Irish history can tell you, were an important Norman-Irish family. Their name was Gaelicised as "de Buitléir (pronounced DE BWIT-LAIR). The term "butler" in those day meant something more akin to "steward."

MacGregor: "son of Gregory" Scottish: Mac Grioghair (pronounced MAC GRIG-ER or MAC GREER) or Irish: Mac Gréagóir (pronounced MAC GRAYG-ORE)

Harris: Anglicisation of Welsh "Ap Harri" meaning "son of Henry" Ap (earlier Map) corresponds to Gaelic "mac."

**ardchoille** · 22nd August 07, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by slohairt

MacGregor: "son of Gregory" Scottish: Mac Grioghair (pronounced MAC GRIG-ER or MAC GREER) or Irish: Mac Gréagóir (pronounced MAC GRAYG-ORE)

Thank you, sir

I thougth so.

**g koch** · 23rd August 07, 12:10 PM

Hope this is an easy one.

COOK

**Demonnic** · 23rd August 07, 04:26 PM

-If- you're so inclined sir, and believe me I'll understand if you're not (this did take a bit of an ugly turn at one point)

Monogue is my own surname
Rayburn was the surname of my patrilineal grandmother
and Mackelvain was the surname of my wife's matrilineal grandmother. The rest of my surnames I already know a fair bit about.

Thanks in advance!

**mudd** · 23rd August 07, 08:15 PM

I researched the pre-anglicized roots of my surname (which is Norse) and it becomes Asbjorn. In old Norse it means "god-bear".

In fact, I was going to use the handle, "bear" on this forum, but it was already taken.

**slohairt** · 23rd August 07, 09:52 PM

MONOGUE: I would guess this is anglicised from the Irish name Ó Muineog, "descended from the little monk." Pronounced O MwIN-OAK. While it may seem odd to be descended from a monk, it must be remembered that the Celtic Church didn't require celibacy. (Or so it is said.) Variants: Minnock, Minogue, O'Minogue.

**Mr. Kilt** · 23rd August 07, 09:56 PM

Very interesting thread! I still have a number of pages to get through, but your work on the names is amazing!

A tough one for you...
I've always been told that my surname, Gingles, is Irish. My dad's family can be traced back to the 1850's in Co. Antrim, but I'm at a loss as to the origin of the name. I've been told a number of possibiliteis, but I don't know who to believe. Any thoughts?

**slohairt** · 23rd August 07, 09:58 PM

RAYBURN: Also RAEBURN. Territorial, from Lowland Scots. Rae Burn in Eskdale. It means "Roe Deer Stream." A Gaelic Transliteration could be Raoburn. (Pronounced the same.) I had a Scottish teacher in high school with this last name, he wasn't very good!

**xena** · 9th January 09, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by slohairt

MONOGUE: I would guess this is anglicised from the Irish name Ó Muineog, "descended from the little monk." Pronounced O MwIN-OAK. While it may seem odd to be descended from a monk, it must be remembered that the Celtic Church didn't require celibacy. (Or so it is said.) Variants: Minnock, Minogue, O'Minogue.

Also, please consider that it's possible to be descendant from a father who became a monk later in life. As a monk, I can assure you, none of us were born monks.

FWIW, non-celibate monks are just pious lay people. Celibacy was ALWAYS, at least theoretically, required of monks, but not of clergy. Universal celibacy of the clergy is something that is of (relatively) late origin and unique to the Latin Church.

Sorry for the highjack. Further discussions probably should go to PM's. Back to your regularly scheduled postings...

How about "Humphrey" as a last name. Apparently of Norman/Welsh origin, emigrated to Canada from Co. Limerick.

Thanks.