Show ContentsGenis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

While many of Irish names are quite familiar to most, their original Gaelic forms are often forgotten and mysterious. The original Gaelic form of the name Genis is Mag Aonghusa or Mag Aonghuis, which mean "son of Angus." 1

Early Origins of the Genis family

The surname Genis was first found in County Down (Irish:An Dún) part of the Province of Ulster, in Northern Ireland, formerly known as county St Mirren, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Genis family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Genis research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1539, 1543, 1584, 1640, 1703, 1759, 1797, 1798 and 1868 are included under the topic Early Genis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Genis Spelling Variations

Throughout the early history of this name, spellings of the surname in various records changed frequently largely due to the recorder's interpretation of how the name sounded at the time of the entry. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origin of the Genis family name include Genis, Guinness, Magennis, Guinnessy, McGuinness and many more.

Early Notables of the Genis family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was

  • Richard and Richard the Elder Magenis were listed as Representatives of the People in the Irish House of Commons in 1797 (IP)

Migration of the Genis family

During the middle of the 19th century, Irish families often experienced extreme poverty and racial discrimination in their own homeland under English rule. Record numbers died of disease and starvation, and many others, deciding against such a fate, boarded ships bound for North America. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Unfortunately, many of those Irish that arrived in Canada or the United States still experienced economic and racial discrimination. Although often maligned, these Irish people were essential to the rapid development of these countries because they provided the cheap labor required for the many canals, roads, railways, and other projects required for strong national infrastructures. Eventually the Irish went on to make contributions in the less backbreaking and more intellectual arenas of commerce, education, and the arts. Research early immigration and passenger lists revealed many early immigrants bearing the name Genis: John Guinnessy, who settled in New York in 1849; William Guinnes who settled in Barbados in 1663; Pat and Mary Guinnessy who settled in Quebec with their ten children in 1849..


Contemporary Notables of the name Genis (post 1700) +

  • Alexander Genis (b. 1953), Russian-born, American writer, broadcaster, and cultural critic
  • Daniel Genis (b. 1978), American journalist and writer of Russian descent
  • Tim Genis, American timpanist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra
  • Erkan Genis (b. 1943), Turkish impressionist artist


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)


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