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Irish surname

Donnellan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Domhnalláin · 'descendant of Domhnallán' (diminutive of Domhnall)

Donnellan is the English form of Ó Domhnalláin, 'descendant of Domhnallán'. Woulfe (1923) says the principal family was that of Ui Maine in Co. Galway, chiefs of Clann Bhreasail with their residence at Ballydonnellan, and that most Donnellans in Ireland belong to it. Other families of the name were in Antrim, Offaly and Tyrone.

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Coat of arms associated with the Donnellan surname
Irish formÓ Domhnalláin
Meaning'descendant of Domhnallán' (diminutive of Domhnall)
CountiesGalway, Clare, Mayo, Antrim
Other spellings4
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Donnellan crest gifts

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Origin of the Donnellan name

Woulfe: 'The principal family of this name is that of Ui Maine', in Co. Galway, 'of the same stock as the O'Kellys'; its head was chief of Clann Bhreasail, between Ballinasloe and Loughrea, residing at Ballydonnellan. Another family, a branch of the Oirghialla, were anciently lords of Ui Tuirtre (Co. Antrim); there was also a Brehon family in Offaly.[1]

  1. 1595Nehemias Donellan appointed Archbishop of Tuam by letters patent, 17 August.[3]
  2. End of the 16th centuryName 'not uncommon' in Offaly and neighbouring districts of Leinster.[1]
  3. 1602Irish New Testament, continued by Donellan, published at Dublin.[3]
  4. 1609Archbishop Donellan resigns his see; dies shortly afterwards at Tuam.[3]
  5. 189076 births registered for Donnellan and its varieties, mostly in Connaught.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. GalwaySeat of the principal Ui Maine family; in 1890 'Donelan' births all in Galway, 'Donlan' in Galway.[1][2]
Co. ClareNamed by Matheson, with Mayo, for 1890 births spelt 'Donnellan'.[2]
Co. MayoNamed by Matheson, with Clare, for 1890 births spelt 'Donnellan'.[2]
Co. AntrimA Donnellan family of the Oirghialla were anciently lords of Ui Tuirtre (Upper and Lower Toome).[1]
Co. OffalyWoulfe records a Brehon family of the name there.[1]
Co. TyroneA family of the name is mentioned as anciently chiefs of Teallach Ainbhith.[1]

Notable people named Donnellan

Nehemias Donelland. 1609?Galway-born Archbishop of Tuam (Irish: Fearganinm O'Domhnallain); continued the Irish translation of the New Testament.[3]

Other spellings

O Donnellan · Donelan · Donlan · O Donellane[1]

The Donnellan coat of arms

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

Donnellan surname: questions

What does the surname Donnellan mean?

Woulfe gives the Irish form as Ó Domhnalláin, 'descendant of Domhnallán', a diminutive of Domhnall.[1]

Where in Ireland is Donnellan from?

The principal family was of Ui Maine in Co. Galway, chiefs of Clann Bhreasail between Ballinasloe and Loughrea. Woulfe says most Donnellans in Ireland belong to that family. In 1890 the spelling Donnellan was found chiefly in Clare and Mayo, and Donelan all in Galway.[1][2]

Are Donnellan, Donelan and Donlan the same name?

Woulfe lists Donelan, Donnellan and Donlan as anglicised forms of the same Irish name, Ó Domhnalláin, and Matheson counts them together for 1890.[1][2]

Were the Donnellans related to the O'Kellys?

Woulfe says the Ui Maine Donnellan family 'is of the same stock as the O'Kellys'.[1]

Sources

  1. Ó Domhnalláin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/od/o-domhnallain.php
  2. Donnellan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/donnellan.php
  3. Donellan, Nehemias — Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, vol. 15 (Thompson Cooper), transcribed, 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).