Harrington
branch names
The
second most common surname found on the Beara peninsula is Harrington.
Because the name is so very common, a number of different branch names have
been adopted over time to distinguish among them.
This list of branch names has been compiled from information provided by Riobard O'Dwyer over the years.
This list of branch names has been compiled from information provided by Riobard O'Dwyer over the years.
Harrington (Beecher) Origin unknown.
Harrington (Beecher-Caobach) a branch resulting from the
marriage of a Harrington (Beecher) and a Harrington (Caobach). There are other similarly hyphenated branch
names.
Harrington (Bawn) is a white haired/fair-haired person. Bawn is also associated with Murphy,
Downey/Downing, Sullivan/O'Sullivan, wherever in Beara they are living.
Harrington (Capy). Men who wore capes at protest marches.
Also Caupey/Capey
Harrington (Cait) Cat-like.
Harrington (Caobach/Keabough), a strong-willed man.
CAOBACH/KEABOUGH means a 'black backed
seagull - a quite strong willed dominant bird; the meaning must have been
transferred to manly qualities.
Harrington (Caharagh/Caherach). A branch of Harringtons
said to have come to Beara from Caheragh between Drimoleague and Skibbereen.
Harrington (Cooper) A Cooper made hoops for barrels.
Harrington (Causkey/Caskey) Those who followed the old
Julian calendar, which brought Easter earlier. (The Gaelic word for Easter is
Casc -- pronounced Cawck)
Harrington (Doctor). Capable of curing sick animals -- a
type of vet, as distinct from a Medical Doctor.
Harrington (Duve) pronounced ‘duv’, is a
black-haired/dark-haired person.
Harrington (Foley), known as the FOLEYS in the Kilmacowen
area of the Eyeries Parish, were also called after a Foley woman from Urban who
married a Harrington in Kilmacowen. There was a ”nest” of Harringtons all over
Kilmacowen, so these particular family were thereafter called the FOLEYS.
Harrington (Gabha) or (Gow) A blacksmith. Also Gow-Caobach
Harrington (Greasai) pronounced like greysee) = a
shoemaker. Also Greasi-Caobach
Harrington (Merigeach), Freckled
Harrington (Rua), Red-haired, red headed.
Harrington (Slasher). There was once a Beara man called
Jack the slasher. At one time, he held the U.S.A record for the speed at which
he slashed/or drilled mine shafts in Arizona.
Harrington (Slater) was a man whose job it was to put
slates on a roof --- when roofs were slated rather than thatched.
Harrington (Stack) a man who worked at the Stack in the
Allihies Copper Mines.
Harrington (Talliur) pronounced like thawluir. -- A
tailor.
Harrington (Trokirre) ---- pronounced like throwcuira
---- a man who has much pity on people.
Harrington (Uonhi) Green – Uonhi, once a surname on its
own, is now, in Beara, both an O'Sullivan and Harrington branch name. It literally means “green.”
Harrington (Urdail) aka O'hUrdail -- Now a branch name, originally an attempt
to show the older Irish form of the name alongside the anglicized surname
Harrington.
Library of Ireland: Ó
hIONGARDAIL
Ó hIONGARDAIL—I—O
Hingerdell, O Hungerdell, O Higerdell, (Harrington); ‘descendant of Iongardal’;
now pronounced Ó hÚrdail; the name of well-known and numerous family in West
Cork and South Kerry; also formerly common in Tipperary; now always anglicised
Harrington.
Harrington (Uxside) From the Uxside townland in the
Ardgroom district.
Harrington (Varrig). People who owned a heifer/a young
cow --- dairymen.
My father always called his brother-in-law "JOHN CAUSKEY", aka John Harrington married to my Aunt Catherine O"Leary, Grandmother of Katherine Marie & John Harrington, parents of Mary Ann, Christine, Josie, Michael, Kathleen, Margaret, & Eileen. Margaret lives in Providence and Eileen, her sister, lives in the Canton, MA area.
ReplyDeleteI believe I am related to this line of Harringtons through Anne Harrington who married Jeremiah O'Connor in Bantry, Cork. Some of her family were Harrington Causkey. I am related to Julie O'Leary Mignacca, as well.
DeleteWould be interested if anyone reading this is or knew of people the were Harrington caheragh. I am a Harrington from caheragh the place and we would have thought we would have come from beara at one time and not gone to beara from here.
ReplyDeleteHi, and thanks for the comment. I checked the Annals of Beara, and the only usage I find of Harrington (Caheragh) is to distinguish Harringtons from Caheragh, like your own family. I don't see it sticking as a branch name once people moved away from Caheragh.
DeleteHi, just discovered your blog. Read with interest your article about the Harrington branch names. As a HINGERTY name bearer I would belong to the O'hUrdail branch- and as a HINGERTY I need to say that the name is not always anglicised as Harrington- was also anglicised in Tipperary as Hingerty. We are rare but we do exist!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the knowledge, Christine. I checked MacLysaght's _Surnames of Ireland_ and this is what he has to say:
Delete(O)Hingerty This is one of the anglicized forms of Ó hlongardail which has for the most part become Harrington.
So yes, you are absolutely correct. I've also seen the name written as hungerdail in Spanish accounts, just to further confuse things.