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Irish surname

Kiernan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mac Thighearnáin (variant Mac Tighearnáin) · 'son of Tighearnán' (diminutive of 'tighearna', a lord)

Woulfe (1923) gives Kiernan as an anglicised form of Mac Thighearnáin, 'son of Tighearnán', a name borne by three separate families: a branch of the O'Connors in Co. Roscommon, a Breifney family in west Cavan and a Fermanagh family. In 1890, 70 Kiernan births (including varieties) were registered, almost wholly in Longford, Cavan, Dublin and Leitrim.

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Coat of arms associated with the Kiernan surname
Irish formMac Thighearnáin (variant Mac Tighearnáin)
Meaning'son of Tighearnán' (diminutive of 'tighearna', a lord)
CountiesCavan, Longford, Leitrim, Dublin
Other spellings6
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Kiernan crest gifts

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Origin of the Kiernan name

Three families: (1) a branch of the O'Connors in Co. Roscommon, descended from Tighearnán, grandson of Turlough Mor O'Connor, King of Ireland; (2) a Breifney family, of the same stock as the O'Rourkes, formerly chiefs of Tellach Dhunchadha, now the barony of Tullyhunco, west Cavan; (3) a Fermanagh family, of the same stock as the Maguires, chiefs of Clann Fearghaile.[1]

  1. 189070 Kiernan births (incl. varieties), almost wholly Longford, Cavan, Dublin and Leitrim.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. CavanBreifney Mac Thighearnáin were chiefs of Tullyhunco, west Cavan; a principal Kiernan county in 1890.[1][2]
Co. LongfordFirst county named in 1890, when Kiernan was 'almost wholly confined' to four counties.[2]
Co. LeitrimOne of the four counties holding almost all Kiernan births in 1890.[2]
Co. DublinOne of the four counties holding almost all Kiernan births in 1890.[2]
Co. RoscommonHome of a Mac Thighearnáin branch of the O'Connors.[1]
Co. FermanaghA Mac Thighearnáin family of Maguire stock, chiefs of Clann Fearghaile.[1]

Other spellings

MacKiernan · MacKernan · Kernan · Kernon · MacCarnon · MacHarnon[1]

The Kiernan coat of arms

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

Kiernan surname: questions

What does the surname Kiernan mean?

Woulfe gives Kiernan as a form of Mac Thighearnáin, 'son of Tighearnán', a diminutive of 'tighearna', a lord. Among the anglicised forms he also lists 'Lord', given 'by translation'.[1]

Is Kiernan an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe lists it among the anglicised forms of the Irish surname Mac Thighearnáin, borne by families in Roscommon, Breifney (west Cavan) and Fermanagh.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Kiernan name from?

In 1890 Kiernan births were almost wholly confined to Longford, Cavan, Dublin and Leitrim. Woulfe places Mac Thighearnáin families in Co. Roscommon, in the barony of Tullyhunco in west Cavan, and in Fermanagh.[2][1]

Are the Kiernans related to the O'Rourkes or the Maguires?

Woulfe says the Breifney Mac Thighearnáin family was 'of the same stock as the O'Rourkes' and the Fermanagh family 'of the same stock as the Maguires'; the Roscommon family was a branch of the O'Connors.[1]

Sources

  1. Mac Thighearnáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/mact/mac-thighearnain.php
  2. Kiernan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/kiernan.php

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