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Irish surname

Prendergast: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

de Priondargás · Norman 'de Prendergast', i.e. of Prendergast, a parish in Pembrokeshire

Woulfe (1923) gives Prendergast as a Norman name: 'de Prendergast', i.e. of Prendergast, a parish in Pembrokeshire. He says Maurice de Prendergast was one of the knights who accompanied Strongbow to Ireland. In 1890 Ireland's birth indexes held 52 entries including spelling varieties (46 spelled Prendergast), 18 of them in Mayo.

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Coat of arms associated with the Prendergast surname
Irish formde Priondargás
MeaningNorman 'de Prendergast', i.e. of Prendergast, a parish in Pembrokeshire
CountiesMayo, Wexford, Kilkenny, Tipperary
Other spellings5
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Prendergast crest gifts

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Origin of the Prendergast name

Woulfe: Norman 'de Prendergast', of Prendergast, a parish in Pembrokeshire. Maurice de Prendergast accompanied Strongbow to Ireland; he and his descendants 'obtained large grants of land in different parts of the south and west of Ireland', with principal branches in Wexford, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Limerick, Mayo and Galway.[1]

  1. 1260Four Masters: David Prendergast, 'a most puissant knight', lost in a defeat in Thomond.[7]
  2. 1265Four Masters: Archbishop of Tuam's people slain at Kilmaine by David Prendergast and the Mac Murroughs.[8]
  3. 1300Four Masters: John Prendergast slain by the son of Fiachra O'Flynn.[9]
  4. 189052 birth entries including spelling varieties (46 spelled Prendergast); 18 in Mayo.[5][6]

Where in Ireland

Co. MayoA principal branch was seated there (Woulfe); 18 of the 1890 birth entries were in Mayo.[1][5]
Co. WexfordSeat of a principal branch of the family, per Woulfe.[1]
Co. KilkennySeat of a principal branch of the family, per Woulfe.[1]
Co. TipperarySeat of a principal branch of the family, per Woulfe.[1]
Co. LimerickSeat of a principal branch of the family, per Woulfe.[1]
Co. GalwaySeat of a principal branch of the family, per Woulfe.[1]
Co. KerryWoulfe: Mac Séarthúin was 'a patronymic surname assumed by a branch of the Prendergasts in Kerry'.[3]
Co. DublinNamed with Mayo and Waterford for Prendergast births in 1890.[5]
Co. WaterfordNamed with Mayo and Dublin for Prendergast births in 1890.[5]

Notable people named Prendergast

Maurice de PrendergastOne of the knights who accompanied Strongbow to Ireland, per Woulfe.[1]
David Prendergast1260The Four Masters record that in 1260 the English were defeated by O'Brien 'with the loss of David Prendergast, a most puissant knight'.[7]

Other spellings

de Prendergast · Prindergast · Pendergast · Pendergrass · Pindergast[1]

The Prendergast coat of arms

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

Prendergast surname: questions

Is Prendergast an Irish name?

Woulfe gives it as a Norman name: 'de Prendergast', i.e. of Prendergast, a parish in Pembrokeshire. He says Maurice de Prendergast was one of the knights who accompanied Strongbow to Ireland, and that he and his descendants obtained large grants of land in the south and west of Ireland.[1]

What is Prendergast in Irish?

Woulfe gives de Priondargás (also de Priondragás), and says the surname 'is variously corrupted in Irish as well as in English', e.g. Piondargás.[1][2]

Where in Ireland are the Prendergasts from?

Woulfe says the principal branches were seated in the present counties of Wexford, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Limerick, Mayo and Galway. In 1890, 18 of the 52 Prendergast birth entries (including spelling varieties) were in Mayo.[1][5]

Is Pender a form of Prendergast?

Woulfe says that 'probably in the great majority of instances' Pinder, Pender, etc. are shortened forms of Prendergast, though Pinder is also a Norman name for the keeper of a pound.[4]

Sources

  1. de Priondargás, de Priondragás — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/d/de-priondargas-de-priondragas.php
  2. Piondargás — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/p/piondargas.php
  3. Mac Séarthúin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macs/mac-searthuin.php
  4. Piondar — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/p/piondar.php
  5. Prendergast — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/prendergast.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), 1254–1260 (part 9) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text009.html
  8. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1265 (part 10) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text010.html
  9. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1293–1300 (part 13) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text013.html

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