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Irish surname

Mulvihill: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Maoilmhichil, Ó Maoilmhichíl · 'descendant of Maolmhichil' (servant of St. Michael)

Woulfe (1923) gives Mulvihill as an anglicised form of Ó Maoilmhichíl, 'descendant of Maolmhichil' (servant of St. Michael), the name of a family of Síol Muireadhaigh (Sil-Murray) in Co. Roscommon who 'were at one time chiefs of Corca Sheachlainn, a district in the east of Co. Roscommon, but appear to have lost their rank at an early period'. He adds that the name 'was, however, common in that county at the end of the 16th century, and branches of the family had about the same time settled in Tipperary, Limerick, Cork and Kerry, where they still flourish'. Woulfe also prints Melville, Mitchell and Michael among the anglicised forms of the same name. In the 1890 birth indexes Matheson records 21 entries including spelling varieties (18 spelled Mulvihill), principally found in Kerry and Limerick.

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Coat of arms associated with the Mulvihill surname
Irish formÓ Maoilmhichil, Ó Maoilmhichíl
Meaning'descendant of Maolmhichil' (servant of St. Michael)
CountiesRoscommon, Kerry, Limerick
Other spellings8

Origin of the Mulvihill name

Woulfe: the name of a family of Síol Muireadhaigh (Sil-Murray), Co. Roscommon, who derive their descent from 'Maolmhichil, chief of Síol Muireadhaigh, who fought at the battle of Cill Ua nDaighre, near Dublin, in 866'. They 'were at one time chiefs of Corca Sheachlainn, a district in the east of Co. Roscommon, but appear to have lost their rank at an early period'; the name was 'common in that county at the end of the 16th century', with branches settled 'about the same time' in Tipperary, Limerick, Cork and Kerry.[1]

  1. 866Woulfe: Maolmhichil, chief of Síol Muireadhaigh, fought at Cill Ua nDaighre.[1]
  2. 189021 entries including spelling varieties (18 spelled Mulvihill); principally found in Kerry and Limerick.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. RoscommonWoulfe: a family of Síol Muireadhaigh, once chiefs of Corca Sheachlainn in the east of Co. Roscommon.[1]
Co. KerryMatheson 1890: one of the two counties where Mulvihill was 'principally found'.[2]
Co. LimerickMatheson 1890: the other principal county, alongside Kerry.[2]

Other spellings

Melville · Mitchell · Michael · O Mulmichell · O Mulveill · Mulvehill · Mulvihil · Mullvihill[1][3]

The Mulvihill coat of arms

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

Mulvihill crest gifts

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Mulvihill surname: questions

What does the surname Mulvihill mean?

Woulfe gives Mulvihill as a form of Ó Maoilmhichíl, 'descendant of Maolmhichil', which he glosses as 'servant of St. Michael'.[1]

Where in Ireland does Mulvihill come from?

Woulfe traces the family to Síol Muireadhaigh in Co. Roscommon, 'at one time chiefs of Corca Sheachlainn, a district in the east of Co. Roscommon'; the name was 'common in that county at the end of the 16th century', with branches settled 'about the same time' in Tipperary, Limerick, Cork and Kerry. In Matheson's 1890 birth index it was principally found in Kerry and Limerick.[1][2]

Are Mulvihill and Melville the same name?

Woulfe lists Melville among the anglicised forms of Ó Maoilmhichíl, and Matheson's registration-record cross-references pair the two names.[1][3]

Is Mulvihill related to Mitchell?

Woulfe also gives Mitchell (and Michael) as anglicised forms of the same name, and Matheson's records likewise cross-reference Mitchell and Mulvihill.[1][4]

Sources

  1. Ó Maoilmhichil, Ó Maoilmhichíl — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/om/o-maoilmhichil.php
  2. Mulvihill — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/mulvihill.php
  3. Melville — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/1513.php
  4. Mitchell — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/1530.php
  5. Mulvihill — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/1592.php

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