Ireland is home to some fascinating surnames, but not all of them have survived the test of time. Some are now so rare that they’re on the verge of disappearing altogether.
It gives you a bit of a weird and also sad feeling when you think about it, doesn’t it? Names can just be extinct. We’re looking at some very rare Irish surnames that are on the verge of extinction. Are you a bearer of one of these rare names?
Hosty – slowly declining
Hosty is a pretty rare name in Ireland these days, but did you know that it has Welsh origins? Sadly, you can practically see the disappearance of the name in the census records. The 1901 census lists 129 results for Hosty.
The 1911 census is already down to 125, and then 1926, it’s 103 results. While the difference doesn’t seem huge, you can see that it’s slowly going down. What will it be for the next census data? Fun fact: The name is mainly associated with Mayo and Galway.
de Lacy – an Anglo-Norman name
You’re probably wondering why de Lacy is on the list. Lacey and Lacy are not that rare. You’re not wrong, but it’s the little word “de” that makes this version rarer nowadays. In the 1926 census, the name was found in different counties, e.g., Wexford and Dublin.
However, it has Anglo-Norman origins – that in itself is not that rare, though. There are several surnames in Ireland with that background, but that not all of them are slowly disappearing.
Mac Páidín – anglicised variants
The Gaelic name Mac Páidín is so rare nowadays, seeing it in the wild is like finding a treasure. At least the original form is almost gone. With so many Irish names being anglicised, you see different versions of this name around.
Padden or MacPadden are still pretty close to what the name once was. You also have McFadden as one of the anglicizations. Fun fact: Páidín is a diminutive of Patrick. So the name means “son of Patrick”.
O’Duibheamhna – rare in every version
This name is certainly interesting. Why? Because both the original Gaelic version and the anglicised version are not common. Is this a new level of rarity? The Gaelic name O’Duibheamhna is now very rarely seen.
In the 1911 census and the 1926 census, Devaney surprisingly came in with just over 1000 results. That’s clearly not extinct yet, but when you compare that to Murphy – the most common name – at over 55,000 results, it’s clear that it’s much less common.
Moclair – interesting etymology
Moclair was already rare in the 1926 census. How rare, you ask? Moclair itself showed up 29 times. If we’re now taking other spellings into account, like Mockler, Mocler, and Mocklare, the results aren’t even touching the 300.
Looking at a bit of name history, Moclair has French origins. It’s believed to derive from mauclerc. You can probably recognize the word “clerk” in there. “mau” is referring to “bad” – this name was given to bad priests. Did you know that?
MacAonghusa – one is rare, the other is not
MacAonghusa might not be a name you’ve come across a lot – for good reason, because it is very rare. However, you’ve certainly seen one of its anglicised versions around: McGuinness. That makes this name a very interesting case.
The original name is barely seen any more, but the altered version is very well known. Another fun little fact is the meaning: MacAonghusa and McGuinness mean “son of Angus”.
Ó hAinle – maybe in the Gaeltacht?
Ó hAinle is another name that is getting very rare nowadays – at least in this spelling. Centuries of anglicisation have given way to different versions of it: O Hanlee, O Hanley, Hanley, Henly, and others.
The anglicised versions are common. If you want to see the original version, it’s going to be a bit harder. In the Gaeltacht, you might still come across it, though.
Whether you bear one of these surnames or simply find Irish genealogy fascinating, these names offer a glimpse into Ireland’s rich and complex history.
Also, think about it – if you do have one of those rare names, does that make you a bit of a unicorn? Rare and special.
