Irish Family Names J-L
JOYCE
NAME ON MAP: De JOISE MODERN IRISH NAME: Seoighe MODERN COUNTY: Galway MEANING: the name derived from BRETON Iodoc, a personal name which was a diminutive of iudh `lord'. Thomas de Joise (or Joyce) was a Welshman who married the daughter of O'Brien, Prince of Thomond, in 1283 and sailed with her to Galway. Initially subject to the O'Flahertys the sept rapidly grew in importance.
KAVANAGH, CAVANAGH
NAME ON MAP: CAOMHANACH MODERN COUNTY: Wexford MEANING: `follower of St Caomhán'. (Caomh meant `gentle'.) Domhnall (Donald) Caomhánach, son of Dermot MacMurrough, was fostered by a successor to the saint. See the entries for Kinsella and MacMurrough.
O'KELLY
NAME ON MAP: O'CEALLAIGH MODERN COUNTY: Galway MEANING: `descendant of Ceallach'. (The name, deriving from ceallach `strife', possibly meant `troublesome' although it may have meant `bright headed'.)
O'KENNEDY
NAME ON MAP: O'CINNÉIDE MODERN COUNTY: Tipperary MEANING: `descendant of Cinnéidigh'. Cinnéidigh was a nephew of Brian Boru. (The name derived from ceann `head' and éidigh `armoured', although the latter word could mean `mishapen, ugly' as a nickname and probably did so in this case.) The O'Kennedys were Lords of Ormond from the 11th to the 16th centuries; three branches: Don `brown', Fionn `fair' and Rua `red' are recorded. See the entry for O'Brien.
KINSELLA
NAME ON MAP: CINNSEALACH MODERN IRISH NAME: Cinnsealach, O'Cinnsealaigh MODERN COUNTIES: Carlow, Wexford MEANING: Enna Cinnsealach was one of the sons of Dermot MacMurrough. (The name meant `proud, haughty'.) See the entries for Kavanagh and MacMurrough.
O'LEARY
NAME ON MAP: O'LAOGHAIRE MODERN COUNTY: Cork MEANING: `descendant of Laoghaire (Leary)'. (The name, deriving from laogh `calf', meant `keeper of the calves' and was a common one.) The port of Dún (`fort of') Laoghaire was named after a 5th century King of Ireland.
O'LINCHY, LYNCH
NAME ON MAP: O'LOINGSIGH MODERN COUNTY: Clare MEANING: `descendant of Loingseach'. (The name meant `seafarer'; compare modern Irish loingeos `shipping'. The later Galway sept, one of the Tribes of Galway, did not move west from Meath until the 15th century and like many other Lynchs was in fact descended from the Anglo-Norman de Lench family.
MacLOUGHLIN
NAME ON MAP: MacLOCHLAIN MODERN IRISH NAME: MacLouchlain MODERN COUNTY: Donegal MEANING: `son of Lochlain (an Old Norse forename.) The sept was the senior branch of the Ui Neills and was ascendant in Ulster before 1241.
O'LYNAM
NAME ON MAP: O'LAIGHEANAIN MODERN COUNTY: Wexford MEANING: laighean means `spear', but the name refers to Leinster (see entry). The sept was originally closely associated with the town of Ferns and Bishop O'Laigheaná founded St Peter's Church there in 1055. In later times they moved north-west to the Offaly area. The names Lynam and Lynagh (Laighneach `Leinsterman') have often been used as alternatives to one another, although the latter sept came from Connacht.