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Irish surname

Heffernan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó hIfearnáin · 'descendant of Ifearnán'

Woulfe (1923) gives Heffernan, Hiffernan and Hefferan as anglicised forms of Ó hIfearnáin, 'descendant of Ifearnán', the name of an ancient family who were chiefs of Uaithne-Cliach, now the barony of Owneybeg in the east of Co. Limerick, until dispossessed by the O'Mulryans in the 14th century. He calls the name still very common in Limerick and Tipperary. In 1890 Heffernan births were found principally in Tipperary.

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Coat of arms associated with the Heffernan surname
Irish formÓ hIfearnáin
Meaning'descendant of Ifearnán'
CountiesLimerick, Tipperary
Other spellings6

Origin of the Heffernan name

Woulfe: an ancient family, chiefs of Uaithne-Cliach, now the barony of Owneybeg, in the east of Co. Limerick, until dispossessed by the O'Mulryans in the 14th century; 'still very common in Limerick and Tipperary, and known all over Munster'.[1]

  1. 14th centuryDispossessed of Uaithne-Cliach by the O'Mulryans (Woulfe).[1]
  2. 1690'O HEFERNAN' appears in Sir James Terry's list of Irish septs.[4]
  3. 1756Paul Hiffernan's farce 'Maiden Whim' first acted at Drury Lane.[5]
  4. 189053 Heffernan birth entries in Ireland, principally in Tipperary.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. LimerickUaithne-Cliach, now the barony of Owneybeg in east Limerick; 'still very common' there (Woulfe).[1]
Co. Tipperary'Still very common' (Woulfe); the county where Heffernan births were principally found in 1890.[1][2]

Notable people named Heffernan

Paul Hiffernan1719–1777Bore the spelling Hiffernan, which Woulfe lists under Ó hIfearnáin; writer born in or near Dublin; M.B., Montpellier.[1][5]

Other spellings

Hiffernan · Heffernon · Hefferan · O Hiffernan · Hefferon · Heffron[1][3]

The Heffernan coat of arms

'O HEFERNAN' is printed in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as reproduced by Matheson. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named Heffernan is entitled to a coat of arms.[4]

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Heffernan surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Heffernan crest gifts

Clan Heffernan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap VM28 Heffernan Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Heffernan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Heffernan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapTR66 Classic Cap - Heffernan Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Heffernan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

Heffernan surname: questions

What does the surname Heffernan mean?

Woulfe gives Heffernan as a form of Ó hIfearnáin, 'descendant of Ifearnán'. He does not gloss the personal name Ifearnán.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Heffernan name from?

Woulfe says the family were chiefs of Uaithne-Cliach, now the barony of Owneybeg in the east of Co. Limerick, and that the name is still very common in Limerick and Tipperary. In 1890 Heffernan births were found principally in Tipperary.[1][2]

Is Hiffernan the same name as Heffernan?

Woulfe lists Hiffernan, Heffernan, Heffernon and Hefferan as anglicised forms of Ó hIfearnáin, and Matheson's 1901 list gives Hiffernan as a spelling of Heffernan.[1][3]

What happened to the Heffernan chiefs?

Woulfe says they were chiefs of Uaithne-Cliach until dispossessed by the O'Mulryans in the 14th century.[1]

Sources

  1. Ó hIfearnáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-hifearnain.php
  2. Heffernan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/heffernan.php
  3. Heffernan — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/864.php
  4. List of Names of Irish Septs (Terry, 1690) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/irish-septs.php
  5. Hiffernan, Paul — Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900 (Alexander Gordon), Wikisource. en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/...

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).