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Irish surname

McNamara: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mac Conmara · 'son of Cú-mara' (hound of the sea)

McNamara is an anglicised form of Mac Conmara, 'son of Cú-mara' (hound of the sea). Woulfe (1923) calls the MacNamaras, next to the O'Briens, the most powerful of the Dalcassian clans, with lands in east Co. Clare, and hereditary marshals of Thomond. In Matheson's 1890 survey McNamara was 94th among Irish surnames, with about 8,600 people, and Clare led the counties.

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Coat of arms associated with the McNamara surname
Irish formMac Conmara
Meaning'son of Cú-mara' (hound of the sea)
CountiesClare, Down, Limerick, Mayo
Other spellings5

Origin of the McNamara name

Woulfe: the MacNamaras descend from Caisín, son of Cas, ancestor of all the Dál gCais. Their original territory was Ui Caisin (deanery of Ogashin, nine parishes in east Clare); later they ruled all of Upper and Lower Tulla, called Clann Chuileáin. They were hereditary marshals of Thomond and inaugurated O'Brien.[1]

  1. before 1600A branch of the MacNamaras settles in Co. Down.[1]
  2. early 1700sPoet Donough MacConmara born at Cratloe, Co. Clare.[2]
  3. 1890McNamara is 94th among Irish surnames, about 8,600 people.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. ClareUi Caisin and Clann Chuileáin (Upper and Lower Tulla); first county for McNamara births in 1890.[1][4]
Co. DownA branch settled here sometime before the end of the 16th century.[1]
Co. LimerickSecond of the counties where McNamara was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. MayoThird of the counties where McNamara was principally found in 1890.[4]

Notable people named McNamara

Donough MacConmaraborn early 18th centuryClare-born poet of 'Fair Hills of Ireland', a hedge schoolmaster; Webb (1878) dates his death to 1814.[2]

Other spellings

MacNamara · M'Conmara · MacNamarra · MacNamarrow · MacConmara[1]

The McNamara coat of arms

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

McNamara crest gifts

Clan Mcnamara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap UH84 Mcnamara Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Mcnamara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Macnamara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap HB59 Macnamara Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Macnamara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Mcnamara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapWO39 Classic Cap - Mcnamara Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Mcnamara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Macnamara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapSL30 Classic Cap - Macnamara Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Macnamara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

McNamara surname: questions

What does McNamara mean?

Woulfe gives MacNamara as an anglicised form of Mac Conmara, 'son of Cú-mara', meaning 'hound of the sea'.[1]

Where in Ireland is McNamara from?

Co. Clare. Woulfe places the original MacNamara territory, Ui Caisin, in nine parishes in the east of Clare, later enlarged to all of Upper and Lower Tulla (Clann Chuileáin). In 1890 Clare was still the first county for the name.[1][4]

Were the McNamaras related to the O'Briens?

Both were Dalcassian. Woulfe says the MacNamaras descend from Caisín, son of Cas, common ancestor of all the Dál gCais; next to the O'Briens they were the most powerful Dalcassian clan, and as hereditary marshals of Thomond they had the privilege of inaugurating O'Brien.[1]

Is MacNamara the same name as McNamara?

Yes. Woulfe lists M'Conmara, MacNamara, MacNamarra and MacNamarrow as anglicised forms of the one Irish name Mac Conmara; Matheson's 1890 index files the name as McNamara.[1][4]

Sources

  1. Mac Conmara — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macc/mac-conmara.php
  2. Donough MacConmara — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/DonoughMacConmara.php
  3. Principal Surnames in Ireland (table of 100 principal surnames, Births Index 1890) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/principal-surnames-ireland.php
  4. McNamara — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/mcnamara.php

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