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Irish surname

O'Meara: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Meadhra · 'descendant of Meadhair' (mirth)

Woulfe (1923) gives O'Meara as an anglicised form of Ó Meadhra, 'descendant of Meadhair' (mirth), the name of a Dalcassian family who were chiefs of Rosarguid in the barony of Upper Ormond, Co. Tipperary, with their seat at Toomyvara. In 1890 Meara and Mara births were principally found in Tipperary.

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Coat of arms associated with the O'Meara surname
Irish formÓ Meadhra
Meaning'descendant of Meadhair' (mirth)
CountiesTipperary, Dublin, Limerick
Other spellings4

Origin of the O'Meara name

Woulfe: 'the name of a Dalcassian family who were chiefs of a district called Rosarguid, in the barony of Upper Ormond, Co. Tipperary. O'Meara had his seat at Toomyvara (Tuaim Uí Mheadhra). The family retained considerable property down to the revolution of 1690.'[1]

  1. 1615Dermod Meara, physician and native of Ormonde, publishes his Latin poem 'Ormonius' in London.[10]
  2. 1690'O MEARA' appears in Sir James Terry's list of Irish septs.[5]
  3. 1818Barry Edward O'Meara dismissed as Napoleon's surgeon at St. Helena.[8]
  4. 1837Lewis: Toomavara's name 'signifies "the burial-place of the O'Mearas"'.[7]
  5. 189054 Meara/Mara entries (33 Meara, 21 Mara), principally in Tipperary.[2][6]
  6. 1890Separately, 31 O'Meara entries incl. spelling varieties (20 O'Meara); Dublin, Limerick, Tipperary.[3][6]

Where in Ireland

Co. TipperaryChiefs of Rosarguid, Upper Ormond, seated at Toomyvara; principal county for Meara/Mara and O'Meara in 1890.[1][2][3]
Co. DublinNamed first among counties where O'Meara births were principally found in 1890.[3]
Co. LimerickAmong the counties where O'Meara births were principally found in 1890.[3]

Notable people named O'Meara

Dermod Mearafl. 1610Physician and Latin poet, a native of Ormonde, Co. Tipperary; published 'Pathologia hereditaria generalis' in Dublin, 1619.[10]
Barry Edward O'Mearad. 1836Irish-born surgeon who attended Napoleon on St. Helena; birth given as 1786 (DNB) and 1770 (Webb, 1878); published 'Napoleon in Exile; or a Voice from St. Helena' (1822).[8]
Kathleen O'Meara1839–1888Biographer and novelist ('Grace Ramsay'), born in Dublin, granddaughter of Barry Edward O'Meara; Paris correspondent of the 'Tablet'.[9]

Other spellings

O'Mara · Meara · Mara · O Mary[1][4]

The O'Meara coat of arms

'O MEARA' is printed in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as reproduced by Matheson. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named O'Meara is entitled to a coat of arms.[5]

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the O'Meara 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.

O'Meara crest gifts

Clan Omeara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapDT75 Classic Cap - Omeara Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Omeara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Meara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapKZ91 Classic Cap - Meara Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Meara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Omeara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap HZ57 Omeara Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Omeara Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00

O'Meara surname: questions

What does the surname O'Meara mean?

Woulfe gives O'Meara as a form of Ó Meadhra, 'descendant of Meadhair', a personal name he glosses as 'mirth'.[1]

Where in Ireland is the O'Meara name from?

Co. Tipperary. Woulfe says the family were chiefs of Rosarguid in the barony of Upper Ormond, with their seat at Toomyvara; in 1890 Meara and Mara births were principally found in Tipperary.[1][2]

Is O'Mara the same name as O'Meara?

Yes. Woulfe lists O'Meara, O'Mara, Meara and Mara as anglicised forms of the same Irish surname, Ó Meadhra.[1]

What is the connection between the O'Mearas and Toomyvara?

Woulfe says O'Meara had his seat at Toomyvara (Tuaim Uí Mheadhra), and Lewis's Topographical Dictionary (1837) says the name Toomavara signifies 'the burial-place of the O'Mearas'.[1][7]

Who was Napoleon's Irish doctor?

Barry Edward O'Meara, born in Ireland — the DNB gives 1786, Webb's Compendium of Irish Biography 1770 — attended Napoleon on St. Helena until he was dismissed in July 1818, and published 'Napoleon in Exile; or a Voice from St. Helena' in 1822. He died on 3 June 1836.[8]

Sources

  1. Ó Meadhra — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/om/o-meadhra.php
  2. Meara — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/meara.php
  3. O'Meara — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/omeara.php
  4. O'Meara — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), list 1677, transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/1677.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
  7. Toomavara — A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (Samuel Lewis, 1837), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/topog/T/Toomavara-Upper-Ormond-Tipperary.php
  8. O'Meara, Barry Edward — Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Wikisource. en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/...
  9. O'Meara, Kathleen — Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Wikisource. en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/...
  10. Meara, Dermod — Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Wikisource. en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/...

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