Irish Family Names E-F
MacEGAN, EAGAN (occasionally HIGGINS)
NAME ON MAP: MacAODHAGAIN MODERN COUNTY: Galway MEANING: `son of Aodhagán'. (The name was a double diminutive of the word aodh `fire'.)
O'FARRELL
NAME ON MAP: O'FEARGHAILL MODERN IRISH NAME: O'Fearghail MODERN COUNTY: Longford MEANING: `descendant of Fearghal'. (The name derived from fear `man' and gal `valour'.) The sept's stronghold, Longphuirt Ui Fhearghaill, seat of the chief, the Lord of Annaly, gave its name to County Longford.
FITZGERALD
NAME ON MAP: FITZGERALD MODERN IRISH NAME: MacGearailt MODERN COUNTY: Limerick MEANING: `son of Gerald'. The sept descended from Maurice, son of Gerald, Constable of Pembroke Castle in Wales, and Nesta, Princess of Wales. Maurice came to Ireland with Strongbow in 1170. Fitz (from OLD FRENCH fils) meant `son`; the sense `illegitimate son' did not appear until a much later date when it was applied to royal bastards. Gerald derived from OLD GERMAN `spear' and `ruler'. Branches of the Geraldines, as the family became known, were later ennobled as the Earls of Desmond and of Kildare and as the Dukes of Leinster.
FITZMAURICE, MORRIS
NAME ON MAP: FITZMAURICE MODERN IRISH NAME: MacMuiris MODERN COUNTY: Kerry MEANING: `son of Maurice'. (The Anglo-Norman name came from LATIN mauritius `Moorish, dark-skinned'). It was a branch of the Fitzgerald family (see previous entry).
O'FLAHERTY
NAME ON MAP: O'FLAITHBHEARTHAIGH MODERN COUNTY: Galway MEANING: `descendant of Flaithbhearthach'. (The name derived from flaith `prince' and beartach `behaving' and meant `generous, hospitable'.) The sept moved from the east side of Loch Corrib to the west side under Anglo-Norman pressure.
O'FLANAGAN
NAME ON MAP: O'FLANNAGAIN MODERN COUNTY: Roscommon MEANING: `descendant of Flannagán'. (The name came from flann `reddish, ruddy'.) Flannagán was the hereditary steward to the King of Connacht.
O'FLYNN, O'LYNN
NAME ON MAP: O'FLOINN MODERN COUNTY: Mayo MEANING: `the descendant of Floinn'. (The name derived from flann `reddish, ruddy'). There were several unrelated septs. Fiacha O'Floinn, Archbishop of Tuam, visited England in 1255.
O'FOGARTY
NAME ON MAP: O'FOGARTAIGH MODERN COUNTY: Tipperary MEANING: `descendant of Fógartach', possibly from King Fógartach of Ely, who appears in the Annals of Ulster in 1072. (The name may have meant `excited', compare modern Irish fógartha `outlawed').
O'FOLEY, FOLEY
NAME ON MAP: O'FOGHLADHA MODERN COUNTY: Waterford MEANING: `descendant of Foghladha'. (The name meant `pirate, plunderer'.) Originally from Waterford, the sept spread west into Cork and Kerry.