Surname O'Dinnan - Meaning and Origin

O'Dinnan: What does the surname O'Dinnan mean?

The origins of the surname O’Dinnan are largely unknown. It is thought to be a name originating from the south of Ireland, though exacts records are scarce. The surname O’Dinnan is predominantly found in Donegal and Sligo in Ireland and is thought to mean ‘Descendant of Donnán’ (Donnán being a notable Irish saint).

The connection between O’Dinnan and Donnán is thought to be due to the legend associated with the Saint. Donnán of Eigg was a 7th-century Irish saint whose journey brought him to the small Scottish isle of Eigg where tradition holds he was martyred in the year 617 A.D. The islanders, who over time have become known as ‘Clann Donnáin’, saw Saint Donnán as their founder and would have adopted the surname O’Dinnan in his honour.

The O’Dinnan name has spread across Europe and beyond since the centuries long struggle for Irish independence. Today, descendants of the name may be found in England, Scotland, the United States and Canada. The O’Dinnan name carries with it a rich and proud culture, with many of its descendants keen to preserve the legacy of their Irish heritage, past and present.

O'Dinnan: Where does the name O'Dinnan come from?

The last name O'Dinnan is most commonly found in Ireland today. Irish surnames often link generations of families to the same area or to a particular clan. O'Dinnan is a common Irish surname, which is derived from the Gaelic O Duinnain. This family name originated in County Fermanagh, a province in the Northwest of Ireland.

The spelling of the O’Dinnan surname also evolved over the years. In some regions of Ireland, O’Dinnin and O’Duinnain were also used interchangeably. As waves of Irish emigration began to spread throughout the world, the variant spellings of the surname were somewhat dispersed to different countries.

Today, the O’Dinnan surname can be found in large numbers in various countries such as Ireland, Great Britain, the United States, Canada, and Australia. There is also a noticeable presence in coastal and urban locations elsewhere. In the U.S., the 2000 census recorded a total of 775 O’Dinnan households in the country.

The continued popular use of the O’Dinnan surname in Ireland is a testament to its long-lasting legacy, as well as an indication of its continued presence in other parts of the world.

Variations of the surname O'Dinnan

The surnames O'Dinnan and O'Dinan are variants of the same origin. O'Dinnan is derived from the Gaelic ‘O Duinnin’ and is believed to be originally from County Clare, although the name is quite widespread in Ireland today.

The variants of O'Dinnan include Dunan, Doinin, Donnane and O'Donin, as well as other variants such as O'Donnane, O'Doneen, O'Donnan, O'Donneen, O'Donean, Donine, and Donin.

The anglicised variant of this surname is O'Dinane and various spellings include Dinan, Dinane, Dinan, Dinene, Dynan, Dinnan, Dynane, or Dinen. One spelling variant is Dinneen which is the anglicised version of O' Duinnin.

The most common variants of the surname O'Dinnan found in Irish records are O’Donin, O’Donnan, O’Dinan, Dinin, and Dinneen.

The O'Dinnan surname is sometimes found spelled as O'Denneen, which is an anglicised version of the old Gaelic name O'Duinnin. Another variant found is O’Dineen, which is an anglicised version of O’Duinnin. This variant is more commonly found in County Cork and Southern Ireland.

Variations of the name O'Dinnan have been found in many different countries including England, the United States, and Canada. In the United States, the surname O'Dinnan was first found in Virginia where various branches of the family settled and added to the local population.

In conclusion, there are a number of variants and spellings of the O'Dinnan surname, all of which are derived from the old Gaelic name O'Duinnin. The variants include Dunan, Doinin, Donnane, O'Donin, O'Donnane, O'Doneen, O'Donnan, O'Donneen, O'Donean, Donine, Donin, O'Dinane, Dinan, Dinane, Dinan, Dynan, Dinnan, Dynane, Dinen, O'Denneen, O’Dineen and Dinneen.

Famous people with the name O'Dinnan

• Gerry O’Dinnan: social justice activist & humanitarian
• Paul O'Dinnan: former Head of Religion, BBC North
• Niall O’Dinnan: Irish folk singer
• David O’Dinnan: award-winning actor
• Michael O’Dinnan: Irish county hurling captain
• Anne O’Dinnan- Member of the Irish Senate
• Oliver O’Dinnan- Rugby Union player
• Colm O’Dinnan- Musician
• Niamh O’Dinnan- Award-winning children's author
• Arthur O’Dinnan- Professional football player
• Martin O’Dinnan- Journalist and histroian
• Dermot O’Dinnan- Olympic Track & Field athlete
• Clare O’Dinnan- International rugby player
• Edward O’Dinnan- Poet and fiction writer
• John O’Dinnan- Professional Golfer
• Seamus O’Dinnan- Nobel Prize winning economist

Other surnames

O'Dinning