Davedove's got a point - I know a family, half of whom are "E-la-son" and the other half are "E-li-a-son." And my Irish-American relatives are both "Dawn-ell" and "Don-Nul."

Slohairt, thanks for resurrecting this thread. I have three questions for you:
First, I had a roommate back in college whose Irish surname had been Anglicized to "Cummiskey," he thought the original had been pronounced "Mac-Cum-moch." Any guesses?

Second, what would the Gaelicisation of the English surname Sackett be? The original may have been occupational, as we are all supposedly descended from Andrew le Sacre, but the Sacketts are geographically centered around one location (no wool-sackers in the rest of England?).

Third, what is the feminine of Lorcán? (Given the family history of women most of my male ancestors have married, I should be on the lookout for her. )