Descendants of the O Conor kings of Connacht, the Reillys are primarily from Cavan, Cork, Longford, and Meath. When Theobald Fitzwalter was created Chief Butler of Ireland by Henry II in 1177 the family came to be known as Butler. The name comes from the Irish for "Mag" meaning "pale coloured". The O Connor family was one of three royal Irish families; they are from Clare, Derry, Galway, Kerry, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and the province of Ulster.
The Hogans descend from the 10th century King of Ireland, Brian Boru. The Gallaghers, were one of the principal septs of Donegal, are still very numerous there. The Blakes came with the Normans (circa 1170 AD) through Wales as "Caddells". Smith is actually the most common surname in Antrim. Their notabilities in the main were clerical. Irish boy & girl baby names with name, meaning, origin and gender. There are several septs in counties Tyrone, Sligo and Wexford, where they were kings of Leinster. Included on this list are names used in the middle, as for the little princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. Their history fills volumes, beginning withthe sage of their contentions with the Normans and the Tudors. Descendants of the O Conor kings of Connacht, the Reillys are primarily from Cavan, Cork, Longford, and Meath. When Theobald Fitzwalter was created Chief Butler of Ireland by Henry II in 1177 the family came to be known as Butler. The name comes from the Irish for "Mag" meaning "pale coloured". The O Connor family was one of three royal Irish families; they are from Clare, Derry, Galway, Kerry, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and the province of Ulster.
Such overlaps may be personal (e.g. The Burkes (Burks) came from William the Conqueror in the 12th century originally named as de Burgo (of the borough). When it was broken up by the Cromwellians they began losing association with France and Austria. ", Learn more about the Malone regions of origin: Ballynahown estate (Offaly), Connacht, Molly Malone. Other septs moved up to Galway, Kilkenny and Cavan, where their descendants were usually Donohue. Learn more about the Dunn regions of origin: Leinster, Midlands (Leix), Ulster. An early emigrant, a Collins from Offaly, was a governor of Tasmania and a founder of Sydney. These groups are not mutually exclusive. This is why it is very common to see prefixes attached to Irish surnames. Learn more about the Carroll regions of origin: Tipperary,Offaly, Monaghan and Louth. There were, however, at least six O Conor septs, not necessarily in the same line as Conchobhair. "Little Mo", the meteroic USA tennis star was a Connelly. Johnston is the most common name in the Irish province of Ulster. The Irish Doyle is Dubhghall and it is assumed that they were Norseman, which seems to be borne out by the fact that this very numerous name is so prevalent on the south-east coast, particularly around Wexford. The Brennan surname in Ireland is now mostly found in County Sligo and the province of Leinster. Conchobhair, meaning "hero" or "champion" was the 10th century King of Connacht from whom they took their name. The name is the same in Irish as it is in English and for 1,000 years O Neill has been one of the most prestigous of Irish families. There are more Murphys in America than their are in Ireland. The hero of the Collins family was none other than "The Big Fella", Michael Collins a hero of the 1922 civil war who was killed at only aged 32.