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Irish surname

Lennon: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Leannáin; Ó Lonáin; Ó Luinín · Several Irish names: Ó Leannáin, 'descendant of Leannán' (diminutive of leann, a cloak or mantle); Ó Lonáin, 'descendant of Lonán', and Ó Luinín, 'descendant of Luinín' (both diminutives of lon, a blackbird)

Woulfe (1923) lists Lennon as an anglicised form of three different Irish surnames: Ó Leannáin, Ó Lonáin and Ó Luinín. Between them they belonged to old families in Fermanagh, Mayo, Galway, Cork, Wicklow, Carlow and Waterford. In 1890, 103 Lennon births were registered in Ireland, chiefly in Dublin and Armagh.

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Coat of arms associated with the Lennon surname
Irish formÓ Leannáin; Ó Lonáin; Ó Luinín
MeaningSeveral Irish names: Ó Leannáin, 'descendant of Leannán' (diminutive of leann, a cloak or mantle); Ó Lonáin, 'descendant of Lonán', and Ó Luinín, 'descendant of Luinín' (both diminutives of lon, a blackbird)
CountiesDublin, Armagh, Fermanagh, Mayo
Other spellings7
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Lennon crest gifts

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Origin of the Lennon name

Woulfe gives no single origin. Ó Leannáin: at least three families, in Fermanagh (erenaghs of Lisgoole), Mayo (a branch of the Ui Fiachrach near Killala) and Galway (followers of O'Kelly of Ui Maine). Ó Lonáin: Cork (near Rosscarbery) and Wicklow (erenaghs of Kilranelagh). Ó Luinín: Fermanagh, erenaghs of Derryvullen and poets and physicians to the Maguires.[1][2][3]

  1. 1890103 Lennon births registered in Ireland, chiefly in Dublin and Armagh.[4]

Where in Ireland

Co. DublinFirst county named for Lennon births in 1890 (Leinster 49 of 103).[4]
Co. ArmaghPrincipal Lennon county in 1890 with Dublin (Ulster 36 of 103).[4]
Co. FermanaghÓ Leannáin erenaghs of Lisgoole; Ó Luinín erenaghs of Derryvullen, poets and physicians to the Maguires.[1][3]
Co. MayoÓ Leannáin family, a branch of the Ui Fiachrach, seated near Killala.[1]
Co. GalwayÓ Leannáin family, followers of O'Kelly of Ui Maine.[1]
Co. CorkÓ Lonáin family originally settled near Rosscarbery, followers of the O'Learys.[2]
Co. WicklowÓ Lonáin family, anciently erenaghs of Kilranelagh.[2]
Co. CarlowOld Ó Luinín family; Woulfe says they 'still flourish' there.[3]
Co. WaterfordOld Ó Luinín family; Woulfe says they 'still flourish' there.[3]

Other spellings

O Lennane · O Lennan · Linnane · Lannon · Lannan · Lenane · Linnen[1]

The Lennon coat of arms

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

Lennon surname: questions

What does the surname Lennon mean?

It depends on the family. Woulfe gives Lennon as a form of Ó Leannáin, 'descendant of Leannán' (from leann, a cloak or mantle), and of Ó Lonáin and Ó Luinín, both from lon, a blackbird.[1][2][3]

Is Lennon an Irish name?

Woulfe lists Lennon among the anglicised forms of three Irish surnames: Ó Leannáin, Ó Lonáin and Ó Luinín.[1][2][3]

Where in Ireland is the Lennon name from?

In 1890 Lennon births were found chiefly in Dublin and Armagh. Woulfe places the old families in Fermanagh, Mayo, Galway, Cork, Wicklow, Carlow and Waterford.[4][1][2][3]

Are Lennon and Leonard the same name?

Sometimes. Woulfe says Ó Leannáin is 'very often disguised under the anglicised form of Leonard', that in Co. Cork Ó Lonáin 'is very often anglicised Leonard', and that Ó Luinín 'is very often anglicised Leonard'. He prints Leonard in brackets and does not say that every Leonard comes from these names.[1][2][3]

Sources

  1. Ó Leannáin – Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/ol/o-leannain.php
  2. Ó Lonáin – Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/ol/o-lonain.php
  3. Ó Luinín – Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/ol/o-luinin.php
  4. Lennon – Birth Indexes of 1890 – Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/lennon.php

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