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Irish surname

Maguire: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mag Uidhir · 'son of Odhar' (pale, dun-coloured)

Maguire is an anglicised form of the Irish Mag Uidhir, 'son of Odhar'. Woulfe (1923) calls it the name of a great Fermanagh family, formerly one of the most powerful in Ulster, who were chiefs of Fermanagh from the late 13th century until their country was confiscated under James I. In 1890 Fermanagh was still the leading county for Maguire births.

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Coat of arms associated with the Maguire surname
Irish formMag Uidhir
Meaning'son of Odhar' (pale, dun-coloured)
CountiesFermanagh, Cavan, Roscommon
Other spellings7

Origin of the Maguire name

Woulfe: 'the name of a great Fermanagh family, formerly one of the most powerful in Ulster'. First mentioned in the Annals in 956; towards the end of the 13th century the Maguires became chiefs of Fermanagh, holding it until the reign of James I, when their country was included in the confiscation of Ulster.[1]

  1. 956The Maguire name first mentioned in the Annals.[1]
  2. 1302Hugh Maguire's estates had been held by his ancestors since this year.[3]
  3. 1498Death of Cathal Maguire, compiler of the Annals of Ulster.[6]
  4. 1594Hugh Maguire defeats Sir George Bingham at the 'Ford of the Biscuits'.[3]
  5. 1600Hugh Maguire killed fighting Sir Warham St. Leger while reconnoitring towards Cork.[3]
  6. 1608Cuconnaught Maguire, Lord of Fermanagh, dies at Genoa on 12 August.[4]
  7. 1641Connor Maguire, Baron of Enniskillen, arrested in the plot to seize Dublin Castle.[5]
  8. 1890Birth indexes: 322 Maguire/McGuire births, 156 of them in Ulster.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. FermanaghChiefs of Fermanagh from the late 13th century to the Ulster confiscation; still the leading county in 1890.[1][2]
Co. CavanAmong the counties where most Maguire births were registered in 1890, with Dublin and Donegal.[2]
Co. RoscommonIn 1890 the spelling McGuire was found chiefly in Roscommon and Mayo.[2]

Notable people named Maguire

Cathal Maguirec. 1438–1498Dean of Clogher and canon of Armagh; wrote the Annals of Ulster at Senat-Mac-Magnus (Belle Isle, Lough Erne).[6]
Hugh Maguire, Lord of Fermanaghdied 1600Threw himself into Hugh O'Neill's war, commanding cavalry; held a command at the Yellow Ford in 1598.[3]
Cuconnaught Maguiredied 1608Lord of Fermanagh after his brother Hugh; procured the ship for the flight of the Earls.[4]
Connor Maguire, Baron of Enniskillenc. 1616–1645One of the leaders of the October 1641 plot; tried in England and executed 20 February 1644–45.[5]

Other spellings

MacGuire · MacGiver · Maguier · M'Guier · M'Gwire · M'Guiver · McGuire[1]

The Maguire coat of arms

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

Maguire crest gifts

Clan Maguire Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap RF27 Maguire Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Maguire Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Maguire Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapHO97 Classic Cap - Maguire Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Maguire Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

Maguire surname: questions

What does the surname Maguire mean?

Woulfe gives Maguire as an anglicised form of Mag Uidhir, 'son of Odhar', odhar meaning pale or dun-coloured.[1]

Where in Ireland is Maguire from?

Co. Fermanagh. Woulfe calls Maguire the name of a great Fermanagh family who were chiefs of Fermanagh from the end of the 13th century until the reign of James I. In 1890 Maguire births were still most common in Fermanagh, followed by Dublin, Cavan and Donegal.[1][2]

Are Maguire and McGuire the same name?

Woulfe lists MacGuire, and spellings such as M'Guier and M'Gwire, as anglicised forms of Mag Uidhir, and Matheson counts Maguire and McGuire together in 1890, noting McGuire was found chiefly in Roscommon and Mayo.[1][2]

What happened to the Maguire lands in Fermanagh?

Woulfe says the Maguires held Fermanagh down to the reign of James I, when their country was included in the confiscation of Ulster. Webb adds that after Cuconnaught Maguire left Ireland almost the whole of Fermanagh was confiscated and planted with English settlers.[1][4]

Sources

  1. Mag Uidhir — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/mag/mag-uidhir.php
  2. Maguire — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909; 1890 birth indexes), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/maguire.php
  3. Hugh Maguire, Lord of Fermanagh — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/HughMaguireLordofFermanagh.php
  4. Cuconnaught Maguire — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/CuconnaughtMaguire.php
  5. Baron Connor Maguire of Enniskillen — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/BaronConnorMaguireofEnniskillen.php
  6. Cathal Maguire — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/CathalMaguire.php

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