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Irish surname

Hussey: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

de Húsae (Anglo-Norman); also Ó hEodhasa, also written Ó hEoghasa (Gaelic) · Norman 'de Hosse'/'de Heose' (of Houssaye in Normandy); Ó hEodhasa gives 'descendant of Eodhas'

Woulfe (1923) gives Hussey under two headwords. The first is de Hosae/de Húsae, Norman 'de Hosse,' 'de Heose,' 'i.e. of Houssaye in Normandy'; that family came to Ireland at the Anglo-Norman invasion and settled in Dublin, Louth and Meath, where the Husseys 'obtained large possessions, including Galtrim from which they took the title of baron', and a branch 'settled in the 16th century at Dingle, Co. Kerry.' The second is Ó hEodhasa, 'descendant of Eodhas', 'a family of Cinel Eoghain, in Ulster, who were chiefs of Cinel Tighearnaigh, but afterwards migrated to Fermanagh, where they became bards to the Maguires.' Of that name Woulfe writes: 'Before the end of the 16th century, it had spread to Leinster and Munster, but its anglicised forms in these provinces cannot now be distinguished from the Anglo-Irish surname, Hussey.' In 1890 there were 26 Hussey birth entries in Ireland including spelling varieties, 21 of them spelled Hussey, principally found in Kerry, Galway and Roscommon.

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Coat of arms associated with the Hussey surname
Irish formde Húsae (Anglo-Norman); also Ó hEodhasa, also written Ó hEoghasa (Gaelic)
MeaningNorman 'de Hosse'/'de Heose' (of Houssaye in Normandy); Ó hEodhasa gives 'descendant of Eodhas'
CountiesMeath, Kerry, Fermanagh, Galway
Other spellings3

Origin of the Hussey name

Woulfe gives Hussey under two headwords: de Hosae/de Húsae, Norman 'de Hosse,' 'de Heose,' 'i.e. of Houssaye in Normandy', which settled in Dublin, Louth and Meath; and Ó hEodhasa, 'descendant of Eodhas', a family of Cinel Eoghain that 'afterwards migrated to Fermanagh, where they became bards to the Maguires.' Of the latter he says its anglicised forms in Leinster and Munster 'cannot now be distinguished from the Anglo-Irish surname, Hussey.'[1][2]

  1. 1350Four Masters: Aengus O'Hosey, 'a good poet', died.[5]
  2. 1480Four Masters: Aengus O'Hosey, 'a learned poet', died.[6]
  3. 1504Four Masters: Melaghlin, son of Ahairne O'Hussey, died.[7]
  4. 1518Four Masters: Ciothruaidh O'Hosey, 'a learned poet', died.[8]
  5. 189026 Hussey birth entries in Ireland including spelling varieties (21 spelled Hussey), in Kerry, Galway and Roscommon.[4][11]

Where in Ireland

Co. MeathWoulfe: the de Hosae/Hussey family obtained large possessions here, including Galtrim, taking a baronial title.[1]
Co. KerryWoulfe: a branch of the de Hosae/Hussey family settled at Dingle in the 16th century; principally found here in 1890.[1][4]
Co. FermanaghWoulfe: the Ó hEodhasa migrated here from Cinel Eoghain and became bards to the Maguires.[2]
Co. GalwayOne of the counties in which Hussey was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. RoscommonOne of the counties in which Hussey was principally found in 1890.[4]

Notable people named Hussey

Bishop Thomas Husseyc.1745–1803Bishop of Waterford and Lismore 1797–1803; first President of Maynooth College, founded 1795.[9]
O'Husseyfl. c.1630Last hereditary bard of the Maguires of Fermanagh; his ode to Hugh Maguire was translated by Mangan.[10]

Other spellings

Hosey · de Husee · O'Hussey[2][3]

The Hussey coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Hussey 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.

Hussey crest gifts

Clan Ohussey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapCN21 Classic Cap - Ohussey Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Ohussey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Hussey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapDZ25 Classic Cap - Hussey Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Hussey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

Hussey surname: questions

Is Hussey an Irish name?

Woulfe gives it under two headwords: the Norman de Hosae/de Húsae family, who came to Ireland at the Anglo-Norman invasion, and the Gaelic Ó hEodhasa, a family of Cinel Eoghain who became bards to the Maguires of Fermanagh. Of the latter he says its anglicised forms in Leinster and Munster 'cannot now be distinguished from the Anglo-Irish surname, Hussey.'[1][2]

What does the name Hussey mean?

Woulfe gives two origins: the Norman name derives from 'de Hosse,' 'de Heose,' 'i.e. of Houssaye in Normandy'; the Gaelic Ó hEodhasa means 'descendant of Eodhas'.[1][2]

Where in Ireland is the Hussey name from?

Woulfe: the Norman family settled Dublin, Louth and Meath, with large possessions at Galtrim, and a 16th-century branch at Dingle, Co. Kerry; the Ó hEodhasa were bards to the Maguires of Fermanagh. In 1890 Hussey was principally found in Kerry, Galway and Roscommon.[1][2][4]

Who was O'Hussey?

Webb: the last hereditary bard of the Maguires of Fermanagh, who flourished about 1630; his ode to Hugh Maguire was translated by Mangan.[10]

Sources

  1. de Hosae, de Húsae — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/d/de-hosae-de-husae.php
  2. Ó hEodhasa, Ó hEodhusa — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-heodhasa.php
  3. Ó hEoghasa — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-heoghasa.php
  4. Hussey — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/hussey.php
  5. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1350 (part 18) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text018.html
  6. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1480 (part 11) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005D/text011.html
  7. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1504 (part 1) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005E/text001.html
  8. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1518 (part 2) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005E/text002.html
  9. Hussey, Bishop Thomas — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/BishopThomasHussey.php
  10. O'Hussey — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/OHussey.php
  11. Table Explanation - Birth Indexes of 1890 - Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/table-explanation.php

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