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Irish surname

O'Naughton: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Neachtain · 'descendant of Neachtan' (bright, pure)

Woulfe (1923) gives O'Naughton and Naughton as anglicised forms of Ó Neachtain, 'descendant of Neachtan' (bright, pure), the name of a Dalcassian family 'still numerous in Thomond' and of a branch of the Ui Maine in Galway and Roscommon. The Annals of the Four Masters record people named O'Naghtan from 1190. In 1890 Ireland's birth indexes held 71 Naughton entries including spelling varieties (52 spelled Naughton), principally in Galway, Mayo, Roscommon and Clare.

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Coat of arms associated with the O'Naughton surname
Irish formÓ Neachtain
Meaning'descendant of Neachtan' (bright, pure)
CountiesGalway, Roscommon, Mayo, Clare
Other spellings7

Origin of the O'Naughton name

Woulfe names two families: (1) a Dalcassian family, of the same stock as the O'Quinns and O'Hartigans, 'still numerous in Thomond'; (2) a branch of the Ui Maine in Galway and Roscommon, descended from Fiachra Fionn, chiefs of Maonmhagh around Loughrea until about the Anglo-Norman invasion, who then removed to the Feadha, or Fews, of Athlone.[1]

  1. 1190Melaghlin O'Naghtan slain by Turlough, son of Roderic O'Conor.[9]
  2. 1200Uaireirghe O'Naghtan, head of the Culdees of Clonmacnoise, died.[10]
  3. 1276Rory, son of Turlough, raids the O'Naghtans; they defeat him, depriving him of booty.[11]
  4. 1385William Boy O'Naghtan slain when Connacht chieftains' army entered Hy-Many.[12]
  5. 1690'O NAUGHTEN' appears in Sir James Terry's list of Irish septs.[5]
  6. 189071 birth entries (52 spelled Naughton); principally Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Clare.[3][6]

Where in Ireland

Co. GalwayUi Maine branch, chiefs of Maonmhagh around Loughrea; first county named for 1890 Naughton births.[1][3]
Co. RoscommonWoulfe places the Ui Maine branch in Galway and Roscommon; a principal 1890 county.[1][3]
Co. MayoNamed among the counties where Naughton births were principally found in 1890.[3]
Co. ClareNamed among the counties where Naughton births were principally found in 1890.[3]

Notable people named O'Naughton

Uaireirghe O'Naghtand. 1200'One of the noble sages of Clonmacnoise' and head of its Culdees (Four Masters).[10]

Other spellings

Naughton · Naghten · Naghton · Naughtan · Naughten · Nocton · Natton[1][4]

Scottish connection

Woulfe gives MacNaughton under a separate entry, Mac Neachtain, 'son of Neachtan' (the pure one): 'a well-known Scottish surname from the neighbourhood of Lochow', a branch of which settled in Co. Antrim. Matheson's lists record M'Naughten and Naughton as used interchangeably in some records, which he says does not mean they are always the same name.[2][4][7][8]

The O'Naughton coat of arms

The name appears as 'O NAUGHTEN' 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. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named O'Naughton or Naughton is entitled to a coat of arms.[5]

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the O'Naughton 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'Naughton crest gifts

Clan Onaughton Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap WN78 Onaughton Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Onaughton Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Onaughton Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapWE72 Classic Cap - Onaughton Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Onaughton Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

O'Naughton surname: questions

What does the surname O'Naughton mean?

Woulfe gives O'Naughton as a form of Ó Neachtain, 'descendant of Neachtan', and glosses Neachtan as 'bright, pure'.[1]

Are Naughton and O'Naughton the same name?

Yes. Woulfe lists O'Naughton and Naughton, with Naghten, Naughten, Nocton and other spellings, as English forms of the same Irish name, Ó Neachtain.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Naughton name from?

Woulfe gives two families: a Dalcassian family 'still numerous in Thomond', and a branch of the Ui Maine in Galway and Roscommon who were chiefs of Maonmhagh around Loughrea and then removed to the Feadha (Fews) of Athlone, where they formed 'a distinct clan down to the reign of Elizabeth'. In 1890, 50 of the 71 Naughton birth entries were in Connaught.[1][3]

Is Naughton the same as Norton?

Woulfe prints (Norton) in brackets among the English forms of Ó Neachtain, and Matheson's Naughton list gives Norton as a form reported in several registration districts. Matheson notes that such lists do not mean the names are in all cases forms of the same name.[1][4][7]

Is O'Naughton related to the Scottish MacNaughtons?

Woulfe gives them in separate entries: Ó Neachtain, with its Dalcassian and Ui Maine families, and Mac Neachtain, 'a well-known Scottish surname from the neighbourhood of Lochow', a branch of which settled in Co. Antrim.[1][2]

Sources

  1. Ó Neachtain — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/on/o-neachtain.php
  2. Mac Neachtain — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macn/mac-neachtain.php
  3. Naughton — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/naughton.php
  4. Naughton — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/1616.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. Memorandum explanatory of Alphabetical List — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/memorandum.php
  8. M'Naughten — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/1450.php
  9. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1190 (part 2) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text002.html
  10. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1200 (part 3) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text003.html
  11. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1276 (part 11) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text011.html
  12. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1385 (part 2) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005D/text002.html

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