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Irish surname

Downey: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Dúnadhaigh; Mac Dúnadhaigh; Mac Giolla Domhnaigh; Ó Maoldomhnaigh · Several Irish names: Ó Dúnadhaigh, 'descendant of Dúnadhach' (belonging to a dún, or fort); Mac Dúnadhaigh, 'son of Dúnadhach'; Mac Giolla Domhnaigh, 'son of Giolla Domhnaigh' (servant of the Lord)

Woulfe (1923) lists Downey as an anglicised form of several Irish surnames. One of them, Ó Dúnadhaigh, 'descendant of Dúnadhach' (belonging to a dún, or fort), was the name of at least three distinct families, in Galway, South-west Cork and Luachair on the borders of Cork, Kerry and Limerick. In 1890 Downey births were found chiefly in Cork, Kerry, Antrim, Galway and Limerick.

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Coat of arms associated with the Downey surname
Irish formÓ Dúnadhaigh; Mac Dúnadhaigh; Mac Giolla Domhnaigh; Ó Maoldomhnaigh
MeaningSeveral Irish names: Ó Dúnadhaigh, 'descendant of Dúnadhach' (belonging to a dún, or fort); Mac Dúnadhaigh, 'son of Dúnadhach'; Mac Giolla Domhnaigh, 'son of Giolla Domhnaigh' (servant of the Lord)
CountiesCork, Kerry, Limerick, Galway
Other spellings6

Origin of the Downey name

Woulfe names at least three distinct Ó Dúnadhaigh families: of Siol Anmchadha in Co. Galway (same stock as the O'Maddens); of Corca Laoighdhe in South-west Cork (same stock as the O'Driscolls); and of Luachair, chiefs of Luachair on the borders of Cork, Kerry and Limerick. Separately, Mac Giolla Domhnaigh was 'a rare Ulster surname'.[1][2][3]

  1. 189091 entries (incl. varieties) in 1890 birth indexes, chiefly Cork, Kerry, Antrim, Galway, Limerick.[5]

Where in Ireland

Co. CorkHome of the Corca Laoighdhe Ó Dúnadhaigh family; first county named for Downey births in 1890.[1][5]
Co. KerryThe Luachair family was 'still numerous in Kerry and Limerick' (Woulfe); a principal Downey county in 1890.[1][5]
Co. LimerickLuachair lay on the Cork-Kerry-Limerick borders; a principal Downey county in 1890.[1][5]
Co. GalwayÓ Dúnadhaigh of Siol Anmchadha and the old Galway family Mac Dúnadhaigh; a principal Downey county in 1890.[1][2][5]
Co. AntrimAmong the counties where Downey was principally found in 1890.[5]

Other spellings

O Downy · Dooney · Doney · MacDowney · Muldowney · Dawney[1]

The Downey coat of arms

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

Downey crest gifts

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Downey surname: questions

What does the surname Downey mean?

It depends on the family. Woulfe gives Downey under several Irish names. Ó Dúnadhaigh means 'descendant of Dúnadhach' (belonging to a dún, or fort). Mac Giolla Domhnaigh, 'son of Giolla Domhnaigh' (servant of the Lord), a rare Ulster surname, was also anglicised Downey.[1][3]

Is Downey an Irish name?

Woulfe gives Downey as an anglicised form of several Irish surnames, among them Ó Dúnadhaigh, Mac Dúnadhaigh, Mac Giolla Domhnaigh and Ó Maoldomhnaigh.[1][2][3][4]

Where in Ireland is the Downey name from?

In 1890 Downey births were found chiefly in Cork, Kerry, Antrim, Galway and Limerick. Woulfe places Ó Dúnadhaigh families in Co. Galway, South-west Cork and Luachair on the borders of Cork, Kerry and Limerick.[5][1]

Are Downey and Downing the same name?

Woulfe says that in Kerry the name Ó Dúnadhaigh is 'sometimes incorrectly anglicised Downing', and Matheson's 1901 list of spelling varieties gives Downing under Downey.[1][6]

Sources

  1. Ó Dúnadhaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/od/o-dunadhaigh.php
  2. Mac Dúnadhaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macd/mac-dunadhaigh.php
  3. Mac Giolla Domhnaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macg/mac-giolla-domhnaigh.php
  4. Ó Maoldomhnaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/om/o-maoldomhnaigh.php
  5. Downey — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/downey.php
  6. Downey (list no. 506) — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/506.php

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