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![Show Contents]() McDonah Surname History
- Origins Available:
 Ireland
All Irish surnames have underlying meanings that can be traced back to their fullest points when the names first appeared in a Gaelic form. The name McDonah originally appeared in Gaelic as Mac Donnchadha, which means son of Donnchadh or son of Donagh. Early Origins of the McDonah familyThe surname McDonah was first found in County Cork (Irish: Corcaigh) the ancient Kingdom of Deis Muin (Desmond), located on the southwest coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from ancient times. Early History of the McDonah familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our McDonah research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1698, 1728, 1746, 1779, 1850, 1878 and 1916 are included under the topic Early McDonah History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. McDonah Spelling VariationsMany variations of the name McDonah were found in archives from the Middle Ages. The spelling and language in which the people's names were recorded was often up to the individual scribe. Variations of the name McDonah found include Donaghey, McDonogh, McDonnogh, McDonagh and many more. Early Notables of the McDonah familyAnother 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McDonah Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 McDonah migration to the United States | + |
The 18th and 19th centuries saw many Irish families immigrate to North America in search of land and opportunities. The largest influx of Irish immigrants to the United States and British North America came during the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine laid waste to their homeland. Hundreds of thousands left the island in an attempt to escape the starvation and disease it brought. Although the arrival of such a large number of destitute Irish was not welcomed by the established population in the United States and what would become known as Canada at the time, these Irish were an essential element to the rapid development of these growing industrial nations. They filled the demand for the cheap labor needed for the work in factories and in the construction of bridges, roads, canals, and railways. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many immigrants bearing the name of McDonah or one of its variants:
McDonah Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- William McDonah, who landed in New York in 1795 1
McDonah Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Malac McDonah, aged 25, who landed in New York in 1812 1
- Peter McDonah, aged 27, who arrived in New York in 1812 1
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
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McDonah migration to the United States 
