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Irish surname

McCartan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mac Artáin · 'son of Artán' (a diminutive of Art)

Woulfe (1923) gives McCartan as an anglicised form of Mac Artáin, 'son of Artán' (a diminutive of Art). The head of the family was lord of Cinel Faghartaigh, now the barony of Kinelarty in Co. Down. In 1890 Ireland's birth indexes held 35 entries including spelling varieties (21 spelled McCartan), principally found in Down and Armagh.

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Coat of arms associated with the McCartan surname
Irish formMac Artáin
Meaning'son of Artán' (a diminutive of Art)
CountiesDown, Armagh
Other spellings8
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McCartan crest gifts

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Origin of the McCartan name

Woulfe: 'The head of this family was lord of Cinel Faghartaigh, now the barony of Kinelarty, in Co. Down. At the beginning of the 17th century, the name was common in many parts of Leinster, and it seems to have penetrated into Cork and Kerry.' The spelling is often Mac Cartáin, the 'c' of Mac having been attracted over.[1][2]

  1. 1269Four Masters: Eghmily Mac Artan was slain by O'Hanlon.[7]
  2. 1347Four Masters: Thomas Mac Artan, Lord of Iveagh, hanged by the English.[8]
  3. 1375Four Masters: Mac Artan, Chieftain of Kinel-Faghartaigh, slain by a kinsman.[9]
  4. 1453Four Masters: Mac Artan among those slain in the defeat at Ardglass.[10]
  5. 1493Four Masters: Mac Artan, i.e. Patrick, son of Hugh Roe, died.[11]
  6. 1690'MAC CARTAN' appears in Sir James Terry's list of Irish septs.[5]
  7. 189035 birth entries incl. spelling varieties (21 McCartan); principally Down and Armagh.[4][6]

Where in Ireland

Co. DownWoulfe: the head of the family was lord of Cinel Faghartaigh, now Kinelarty; first county named for 1890 births.[1][4]
Co. ArmaghOne of the two counties where McCartan births were principally found in 1890.[4]

Notable people named McCartan

Thomas Mac Artand. 1347The Four Masters record that Thomas Mac Artan, Lord of Iveagh, in Ulidia, was hanged by the English.[8]

Other spellings

MacCartan · MacCarten · MacCarton · MacCartin · M'Cartane · Cartan · Carton · Mac Artan[1]

The McCartan coat of arms

'MAC CARTAN' is printed in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as reproduced by Matheson. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named McCartan is entitled to a coat of arms.[5]

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

McCartan surname: questions

What does the surname McCartan mean?

Woulfe gives McCartan as a form of Mac Artáin, 'son of Artán', and says Artán is a diminutive of Art.[1]

Is McCartan Irish?

Yes. Woulfe lists MacCartan, Cartan and Carton among the anglicised forms of the Irish surname Mac Artáin, whose head was lord of Cinel Faghartaigh (Kinelarty) in Co. Down.[1]

Where in Ireland is the McCartan name from?

Co. Down: Woulfe says the head of the family was lord of Cinel Faghartaigh, now the barony of Kinelarty. In 1890 McCartan births were principally found in Down and Armagh.[1][4]

Are Carton and Cartan the same name as McCartan?

Woulfe lists Cartan and Carton among the forms of Mac Artáin. He also gives them under Ó Cartáin, which he thinks probably a corruption of Mac Artáin.[1][3]

Sources

  1. Mac Artáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/maca/mac-artain.php
  2. Mac Cartáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macc/mac-cartain.php
  3. Ó Cartáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-cartain.php
  4. McCartan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/mccartan.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. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1269 (part 10) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text010.html
  8. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1347 (part 18) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text018.html
  9. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1375 (part 1) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005D/text001.html
  10. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1453 (part 9) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005D/text009.html
  11. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1493 (part 13) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005D/text013.html

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