Irish Family Names W
WALSH, BRANNAGH
NAME ON MAP: WALSH MODERN IRISH NAME: Breathnach MODERN COUNTY: Wexford MEANING: `Welshman'. There were many unconnected families with this name, but the main sept originated from the family of Haylen Brenach alias Walsh alias `son of Philip the Welshman', who came to Ireland with Henry II. (The name ultimately derived from ANGLO-SAXON walas `foreigners', which came to mean `Welsh, Welsh-speakers'.) Brenach has been modernised as Brannagh.
MacWARD
NAME ON MAP: Mac an BHAIRD MODERN COUNTY: Donegal MEANING: `son of the bard'. The majority of Irish Wards are native MacWards. There were several septs: that in Donegal provided the hereditary bards to the O'Donnells, that in Galway bards to the O'Kellys.
WOGAN
NAME ON MAP: UGAN MODERN COUNTY: Kildare MEANING: this Welsh family name was first recorded in Ireland in 1195; it derived from WELSH gwgan, gwgon the diminutive of gwg `scowl' and meant `the little scowler'.