Name History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Etymology of Name

The original Gaelic form of Name was Mac Conmidhe, which means hound of Meath.

Early Origins of the Name family

Early History of the Name family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Name research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Name History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Name Spelling Variations

Names from the Middle Ages demonstrate many spelling variations. This is because the recording scribe or church official often decided as to how a person's name was spelt and in what language. Research into the name Name revealed many variations, including McNamee, McNanamy, McNammee, McName, McNanny and others.

Early Notables of the Name family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was

• McNamee of Tyrone

Migration of the Name family

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the Name family relocated to North American shores quite early: John McName arrived in Philadelphia in 1838; Bernard, Charles, Francis, Hugh, James, John, Michael, Patrick, Thomas, McNamee all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.