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Irish surname

Hynes: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó hEidhin · 'descendant of Eidhean' (ivy)

Woulfe (1923) gives Hynes as an anglicised form of Ó hEidhin, 'descendant of Eidhean' (ivy), a Galway family descended from Guaire Aidhne, King of Connacht in the 7th century, who were for six hundred years lords of Aidhne. Woulfe says the name is still common in Galway and the adjoining parts of Co. Clare; in 1890 Hynes births were found chiefly in Galway, Clare, Mayo and Dublin.

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Coat of arms associated with the Hynes surname
Irish formÓ hEidhin
Meaning'descendant of Eidhean' (ivy)
CountiesGalway, Clare, Mayo, Dublin
Other spellings6

Origin of the Hynes name

Woulfe: a Galway family descended from Guaire Aidhne, King of Connacht in the 7th century, for six hundred years the chief family of Ui Fiachrach Aidhne and lords of Aidhne, a district co-extensive with the diocese of Kilmacduagh. A family of the name near Caherconlish, Co. Limerick, 'formerly of considerable importance', was 'now almost extinct'.[1]

  1. 7th centuryGuaire Aidhne, King of Connacht, ancestor of the Ó hEidhin family.[1]
  2. 1014Maolruanaidh Ó hEidhin, lord of Aidhne, first to bear the surname, falls at Clontarf.[1]
  3. 1690'O HINE' appears in Sir James Terry's list of Irish septs.[5]
  4. 189083 Hynes births registered (incl. varieties), chiefly in Galway, Clare, Mayo and Dublin.[4][6]

Where in Ireland

Co. GalwayLords of Aidhne (diocese of Kilmacduagh); first county named for Hynes births in 1890.[1][4]
Co. ClareWoulfe: still common in the adjoining parts of Co. Clare; a principal county in 1890.[1][4]
Co. MayoA principal county for Hynes births in 1890.[4]
Co. DublinA principal county for Hynes births in 1890.[4]
Co. LimerickA once-important family near Caherconlish, 'now almost extinct' (Woulfe, 1923).[1]

Notable people named Hynes

Maolruanaidh Ó hEidhind. 1014Lord of Aidhne, the first to bear the surname; fell at the battle of Clontarf.[1]

Other spellings

O'Heyne · Heines · Hyndes · Hines · Haynes · Haines[1][3]

The Hynes coat of arms

The name 'O HINE' appears in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as printed by Matheson; Woulfe prints 'O Hine' among the anglicised forms of Ó hEidhin. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named Hynes is entitled to a coat of arms.[5][1]

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

Hynes crest gifts

Clan Hynes Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap DC48 Hynes Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Hynes Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Hynes Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapAA73 Classic Cap - Hynes Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Hynes Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

Hynes surname: questions

What does the surname Hynes mean?

Woulfe gives Hynes as a form of Ó hEidhin, 'descendant of Eidhean', glossing Eidhean as 'ivy'.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Hynes name from?

Galway: Woulfe says the Ó hEidhin family were lords of Aidhne, co-extensive with the diocese of Kilmacduagh, and that the name is still common in Galway and the adjoining parts of Clare. In 1890 Hynes births were chiefly in Galway, Clare, Mayo and Dublin.[1][4]

Is Hynes the same name as O'Heyne?

Woulfe lists O Heyne, O Hyne, Heines, Hynes and Hyndes among the anglicised forms of Ó hEidhin.[1]

Who was the first person called Ó hEidhin?

Woulfe says Maolruanaidh Ó hEidhin, lord of Aidhne, who fell at Clontarf in 1014, was the first person to bear the surname.[1]

Sources

  1. Ó hEidhin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-heidhin.php
  2. Ó hÉidhin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-heidhin2.php
  3. The Hynes Family — A Genealogical History of Irish Families (John Rooney, 1895), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/irish-families/hynes.php
  4. Hynes — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/hynes.php
  5. 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
  6. 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).