Surname O'hEignigh - Meaning and Origin
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O'hEignigh: What does the surname O'hEignigh mean?
The surname O'hEignigh is derived from the Gaelic Irish word "Ó hAonghusa," which is often anglicized as "O'Hagan" or "O'Hegney". It is believed to have originated in County Donegal in Ireland. This surname translates to "descendant of Aonghus" in Irish, which also happens to be a popular ancient Celtic male name.
This ancient Scottish-Gaelic male name is derived from "Aonghus," which comes from the word "eon," meaning "one" or "unique," and the prefix "ous," meaning "choice." This name as a whole is believed to be interpreted as "unique choice," as it was often bestowed to an individual who was perceived to be uniquely chosen for something. Variations of this name are also found in other Celtic countries such as Scotland and Wales.
The O'hEignigh surname was often associated with royalty and nobility in the past, mostly in the northern counties of Ireland such as Donegal, Cavan, and Monaghan. However, it now has several variations that are also found in other countries outside of Ireland. Today, this surname is used by individuals of Irish descent, and often has associations with high ambitions and success.
To sum it up, the O'hEignigh surname is derived from the Gaelic Irish word "Ó hAonghusa," meaning "descendant of Aonghus," and is often interpreted as "unique choice." This patriarchal name was associated with royalty and nobility in Ireland in the past, but in the present, is used by individuals of Irish descent, often with associations of high ambitions and success.
Order DNA origin analysisO'hEignigh: Where does the name O'hEignigh come from?
Today, the last name O'hEignigh is most commonly found in Ireland, particularly in the Connacht region of the country. This last name is believed to descend from the ancient Irish Gaelic name of Ó hEignigh. It is thought that the name is directly derived from the Irish eigne which means “poet” or “storyteller”. The O’hEignigh family was instrumental during the early development of the country and played an important role in defending it against foreign invaders.
While Ireland has seen a significant amount of emigration in the past centuries, the O’hEignigh family remains active in the country. While evidence of the surname’s presence exists in the United Kingdom and the United States, the majority of those who carry the name remain in Ireland. In some cases, they have become known under alternative spellings such as Henderson, Mackanee, McIgeny and Egan.
The O’hEignigh surname continues to be an integral part of Irish culture and has helped shape the country’s history and identity. This is seen in the name's prevalence today in various parts of Ireland. As a result, the O’hEignigh surname has become a strong symbol of Irish culture, with those that carry the name being proud of their heritage and legacy.
Variations of the surname O'hEignigh
The O’hEignigh surname is an Irish variant of the surname Egan, which is of Gaelic origin. The Gaelic spelling is O'hAodghaigh and variations include Ó hAodhagain, O'Hagan, Ó hAodhagáin and O'Heagney.
Within the Irish spelling of the surname, several variants can be seen. These include (but are not limited to): O’hEighnigh, O'EOighneigh, O’hEighney, O'Eineigh, O'Eigheanigh, O’hEignigh, O'Heneigh and O'Haignigh. Each of these variants is simply a combination of the letters of ‘O’hAodghaigh’, with the spelling using different letters in slightly different ways.
In other variants, multiple variations on the Irish spelling can sometimes be found. For example, there is a spelling variant known as ‘O’Heighney’, which is a combination of the O’hAodghaigh spelling and an Anglicised version of the surname ‘Heneigh’.
Other surnames derived from the same Irish root as O’hAodghaigh can also be found, including the Anglicised forms Heaney, Hegney, Heney, Haigney, Hainey and Haigny.
In addition to these, the Irish surname O’hAodghaigh can also appear as Hagney, Eggeny and Hageny, due to variations in the way that Irish and English pronunciation have developed.
In summary, O'hEignigh is an Irish variant of the surname Egan and is the anglicised form of the Gaelic origin O'hAodghaigh. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include O'Hagan, Ó hAodhagáin, O'Heagney, O’hEighnigh, Ó hAodhagain, O'Haignigh, O'EOighneigh, O'Eineigh, O'Eigheanigh, O'Heneigh, Heaney, Hegney, Heney, Haigney, Hainey, Haigny, Hagney, Eggeny and Hageny.
Famous people with the name O'hEignigh
- Ryan O’Heignigh: Former Irish Gaelic Football Player for Corofin
- Tadhg O’Heignigh: Irish Gaelic Football Manager
- Pól O’hEignigh: Irish musician
- Diarmuid O’hEignigh: Irish rugby player
- Máire O’hEignigh: Irish actress
- Dónal O’hEignigh: Gaelic footballer
- Paula O’hEignigh: Athlete and long-distance runner
- Bríd O’hEignigh: Gaelic football player
- Anna O’hEignigh: Professional tap dancer
- Marie O’hEignigh: Singer-songwriter
- Éamonn O’hEignigh: Professional fiddle player
- Conal O’hEignigh: Irish actor
- Siobhán O’hEignigh: Irish singer and guitarist
- James Patrick O'hEignigh: Irish actor and producer