Brennan (surname)

Brennan
Pronunciation/ˈbrɛnən/
Language(s)English
Origin
Language(s)Irish
Derivation
  • Ó Braonáin
  • Ó Branáin or Mac Branáin
Meaning
  • 'moisture', 'drop'
  • 'little raven'
Region of originIreland

Brennan (/ˈbrɛnən/)[1] is an Irish surname which is an anglicised form of two different Irish-language surnames: Ó Braonáin and Ó Branáin (or Mac Branáin).[2][3][4] Historically, one source of the surname was the prominent clan Ua Braonáin (O'Brennan) of Uí Duach (Idough)[5] in Osraige who were a junior Dál Birn sept stemming from a younger son of Cerball mac Dúnlainge (d.888).[6] Recent surname evaluations highlighted the geographic consistency of this lineage in the barony of Idough.[7][8] However, based on the ultimate authority of Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh they are out of Ui Dhuinn (O’Dunn)[9] and, therefore, an Uí Failghi tribe, not Osraige. While it is clearly apparent that O’Hart's pedigree is erroneous, it is suggested that Ó Cléirigh probably became confused while transcribing from Mac Fhirbhisigh.[10] This is echoed by the modern scholar, Bart Jaski.[11]

The Irish surname Ó Braonáin, means "descendant of Braonán". The personal name Braonán is derived from a word which means "moisture", "drop". The Irish surname Ó Branáin, means "descendant of Branán". The personal name Branán means "little raven".[12] Brennan is also a given name.

Notable people with the surname include:

  1. ^ Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Longman. p. 103. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
  2. ^ Grenham, John (1994). The Little Book of Irish Clans. Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell. p. 10. ISBN 0-7858-0083-2.
  3. ^ "brennan Family History". Archived from the original on 23 September 2015.
  4. ^ "O'Brennan Family Crest and History".
  5. ^ "Ireland's History in Maps – Ancient Ossory, Osraige, Osraighe".
  6. ^ "Brenan (No.1) family genealogy – Irish Pedigrees".
  7. ^ "1659 Ireland Census map of the name (O)Brennan". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Griffith's Valuation map of the name (O)Brennan". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  9. ^ Mac Fhirbhisigh, Dubhaltach (2003). Leabhar Mór na nGenealach. Dublin: De Burca.
  10. ^ Fitzpatrick, Mike (2021). "The Similar-Sounding Surnames of Haplotype R-BY140757". The Journal of the Fitzpatrick Clan Society. 2: 1–41. doi:10.48151/fitzpatrickclansociety00421.
  11. ^ Fitzpatrick, Mike (2022). "On Fitzpatrick Scholarship". The Journal of the Fitzpatrick Clan Society. 2022 (3): 73–77. doi:10.48151/fitzpatrickclansociety01022.
  12. ^ "Brennan Name Meaning & Brennan Family History at Ancestry.com®". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 25 December 2022.