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Irish surname

Purcell: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Puirséil (also Pruiséil) · Norman 'porcel', diminutive of Old French 'porc', Latin 'porcus', i.e. 'the little pig', a nickname

Purcell is an Anglo-Norman surname, not a Gaelic one. Woulfe (1923) gives the Irish form Puirséil and says the Purcells were one of the most influential Anglo-Norman families of Ormond (Kilkenny and Tipperary), the head of the family holding the title of Baron of Loughmoe. In 1890 Matheson counted 79 Purcell entries in the birth indexes (including spelling varieties): Kilkenny and Dublin held nearly all those in Leinster, Tipperary most of those in Munster.

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Coat of arms associated with the Purcell surname
Irish formPuirséil (also Pruiséil)
MeaningNorman 'porcel', diminutive of Old French 'porc', Latin 'porcus', i.e. 'the little pig', a nickname
CountiesKilkenny, Tipperary, Dublin, Limerick
Other spellings4
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Purcell crest gifts

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Origin of the Purcell name

Anglo-Norman. On record in Ireland since about the middle of the 13th century and already common in Munster by the beginning of the 14th. One of the most influential Anglo-Norman families of Ormond (Kilkenny and Tipperary), with many castles and manors; the head was Baron of Loughmoe, near Thurles. Other important families at Ballyculhane, Co. Limerick, and Crumlin, Co. Dublin.[1]

  1. About the middle of the 13th centuryThe surname is of record in Ireland from about this time.[1]
  2. Beginning of the 14th centuryPurcell already a common name in Munster.[1]
  3. 1800John Baptist Purcell born at Mallow, 26 February.[3]
  4. 1833John Baptist Purcell consecrated Bishop of Cincinnati, 13 October.[3]
  5. 1850Cincinnati made an archbishopric, with Purcell as its Archbishop.[3]
  6. 189079 entries (incl. spelling varieties); Kilkenny, Dublin lead Leinster; Tipperary, Munster.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. KilkennyPart of Ormond, where the Purcells had many castles and manors; with Dublin, nearly all Leinster entries, 1890.[1][2]
Co. TipperaryPart of Ormond, where the Purcells had many castles and manors; most Munster Purcell entries in 1890.[1][2]
Co. DublinAn important Purcell family at Crumlin; with Kilkenny, nearly all Leinster entries in 1890.[1][2]
Co. LimerickWoulfe: 'an important family of the name at Ballyculhane, in Co. Limerick'.[1]

Notable people named Purcell

John Baptist Purcell1800–1883Born at Mallow, Ireland; Bishop of Cincinnati from 1833, Archbishop when Cincinnati became an archbishopric in 1850.[3]

Other spellings

Pursell · Purcill · Purshell · Porcell[1]

The Purcell coat of arms

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

Purcell surname: questions

Is Purcell an Irish or Norman name?

Norman. Woulfe derives it from Norman 'porcel' and calls the Purcells one of the most influential Anglo-Norman families of Ormond (Kilkenny and Tipperary). Its Irish-language form is Puirséil.[1]

What does the surname Purcell mean?

Woulfe gives it as Norman 'porcel', a diminutive of Old French 'porc' (Latin 'porcus'), i.e. 'the little pig', a nickname.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Purcell name from?

Woulfe calls the Purcells one of the most influential Anglo-Norman families of Ormond (Kilkenny and Tipperary) and names other important families at Ballyculhane, Co. Limerick, and Crumlin, Co. Dublin. In 1890 Kilkenny and Dublin held nearly all the Leinster entries and Tipperary most of those in Munster.[1][2]

Who was the Baron of Loughmoe?

Woulfe says the head of the Purcell family had the title of Baron of Loughmoe, near Thurles, where the ruins of Loughmoe Castle could still be seen in his time.[1]

Sources

  1. Puirséil — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/p/puirseil.php
  2. Purcell — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/purcell.php
  3. John Baptist Purcell — Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), reproduced, Catholic Answers (catholic.com). catholic.com/encyclopedia/john-baptist-purcell

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