Surname O'Doonan - Meaning and Origin
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O'Doonan: What does the surname O'Doonan mean?
The surname O'Doonan has its origins in Ireland, and is derived from the Gaelic surname 'Ó Duinnín'. Generally, surnames are passed down from father to son and reflect the name and status of the elders or ancestors of the family. In this case, 'Ó Duinnín' means ‘descendant of Donnín’, which is a personal name which comes from the Gaelic word for ‘brown’. Therefore, it is likely that the original O'Doonan family had an ancestor with a light brown hair or dress color.
Irish history is difficult to trace due to the destruction of ancient records, but by examining the Irish heartland we can get a general idea of the O’Doonan family’s early roots. This surname can be found predominantly in modern day counties in the province of Ulster, particularly in County Donegal and County Antrim. It is possible that these counties are the ancestral home of the O’Doonan family, as this area would have been the homeland of many of the clan's descendants.
The surname O’Doonan is also found in Scotland, particularly in the north of Scotland. It is likely that people with the name moved from Ireland to Scotland long before the great famine in the 19th century.
Today, O’Doonan is a recognized name throughout Ireland and Scotland, and is most commonly found in Northern Ireland. It is likely that some members of the family now live outside of Ireland and Scotland, as the surname has become increasingly popular in other parts of the world. The O’Doonan family have a proud history, and the significance of their surname remains today, a reminder of their proud Irish heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisO'Doonan: Where does the name O'Doonan come from?
The last name O'Doonan is most commonly found in Ireland today. This Irish surname originated as a patronymic when the Gaelic prefix "O" meaning "grandson or descendant of" was added to the name Donndubhán, which translates as “brown-haired brave one”. O'Doonans can trace their roots to the O'Donovan family, once a powerful and noble family in County Cork.
The O'Doonans are part of the larger Iverni tribe who settled in the area and the surname continues to be common in the area around where the original ancestral family lived in West Cork. The number of people today bearing this surname is estimated in the thousands and there is even an online community for them.
O'Doonans have also migrated out of Ireland, so the surname can be found in many other countries around the world. However the majority of O'Doonans today can be found in the British Isles, specifically in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, The Republic of Ireland and even some places in the United States and Canada.
The name continues to honour the memory of the brave O'Donovan ancestors and is a perfect example of how a family name can endure over generations and still exist today.
Variations of the surname O'Doonan
The surname O'Doonan is a surname of Irish origin. It is derived from the Irish surname “O’Donnain”, which translates to “grandson of Donn”. Historically, this name was common in counties Galway, Mayo, and Sligo. Variants and spellings of this surname include: O'Donnan, O'Donnane, O'Donan, O'Doneen, Donan, Doneen, Donnen, Donnan, Donneen.
Variants of this surname can often depend on where within Ireland a person is from, as some families spelled their name differently due to regional variants in spelling, as well as different dialects being spoken at the time. Other surnames originating from the “O’Donnain” surname include, Donneen, Donnellan, Donlon, Downing, Dooneen, Dunan, O’Dunnane, and O'Donnin.
It is also possible for people who share the surname O’Doonan to have different surnames altogether, as sometimes families changed their name over time or countries of residence, in order to hide their Irish origin. For example, some O’Doonan families in the United States changed their name to Downey or Donnelly, and some kept the "O'" Irish prefix.
In Scotland, some O’Doonan families also took on the Norman-influenced surname of “Duncan”, which is still common today. In Northern Ireland, some O’Doonan families also took on the surname “Denan”, whilst other variants used in Northern Ireland include: O’Donnaghan, O’Donnohue, O’Donnellan, and the less-common O'Doonaghan.
O’Doonan is an old Irish surname which has many spellings and variants with different origins. With long ancestral roots in Ireland, this surname is still well-known and has spread to many countries, becoming more and more common as time goes on.
Famous people with the name O'Doonan
- Peter ODoonan, an American actor best known for his television roles.
- Jack ODoonan, an Australian rugby league player who is now a commentator and former player.
- Sean ODoonan, an Irish-American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
- Cillian ODoonan, an Irish actor, writer and musician.
- Anne ODoonan, an Irish actor and television presenter.
- Brenda ODoonan, an Irish children's author and illustrator.
- Niall ODoonan, an Irish-American executive in the energy industry.
- Gary ODoonan, an Australian football player and coach.
- Mairead ODoonan, an Irish actress and screenwriter.
- Kieran ODoonan, an Irish Gaelic football player who plays for the Limerick senior team.