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O'Mara History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

O'Mara Surname History

Origins Available:
Ireland

The name O'Mara has undergone many variations in the time that has passed since its genesis. In Gaelic it appeared as Ó Meadhra, which is derived from the word meadhar, which means merry. 1

Early Origins of the O'Mara family

The surname O'Mara was first found in County Tipperary (Irish: Thiobraid Árann), established in the 13th century in South-central Ireland, in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

"The O'Mearas had an extensive territory in the Barony of Upper Ormond, County Tipperary, in which O'Meara was a Chief. The name of their principal residence, Tuam-ui-Meara, is still retained in the town of Toomyvara. The Mearas or O'Mearas are still numerous in that locality." 2

Early History of the O'Mara family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Mara research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1614, 1619, 1681 and 1818 are included under the topic Early O'Mara History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Mara Spelling Variations

Within archives, many different spelling variations exist for the surname O'Mara. Ancient scribes and church officials recorded names as they were pronounced, often resulting in the name of the single person being recorded under several different spellings. Different spellings that were found include Meara, O'Mara, Mar, O'Meara and others.

Early Notables of the O'Mara family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was Dermod O'Meara, an Irish physician and poet, author of the first medical work printed in Dublin in 1619; Edmund...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early O'Mara Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Mara Ranking

In the United States, the name O'Mara is the 6,388^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3

O'Mara migration to the United States +

North America accepted thousands of Irish immigrants during the 19th century as their homeland suffered under foreign imperialistic rule. Although settlers from the early portion of the century came to North America by choice in search of land, by far the largest influx of Irish immigrants came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Many of these Irish families left the country destitute and in some cases suffering from disease. However, those who survived the long ocean voyage were especially vital to the development of industry in the United States and what would become known as Canada. Research of immigration and passenger lists has shown many early immigrants bearing the name O'Mara:

O'Mara Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Daniel, James, Michael, Patrick, and William O'Mara, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860
Fras. O'Mara, aged 17, who immigrated to the United States from Leitrim, Ireland, in 1893

O'Mara Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

John O'Mara, aged 68, who settled in America from England, in 1902
Elizabeth Jane O'Mara, aged 46, who settled in America from London, England, in 1909
Ellen O'Mara, aged 64, who landed in America from Limerick, Ireland, in 1909
John O'Mara, aged 39, who landed in America from Bruff, Ireland, in 1911
Jane O'Mara, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States from SixMile Bridge, Ireland, in 1912
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

O'Mara migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

O'Mara Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Ellen O'Mara, aged 50, who settled in Palmerston, Ontario, Canada, in 1907
Bridget O'Mara, aged 31, who immigrated to St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1912
Adelaide O'Mara, aged 35, who settled in Toronto, Canada, in 1920
A. Maureen O'Mara, aged 9, who immigrated to Toronto, Canada, in 1922

O'Mara migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

O'Mara Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Maria O'Mara, (b. 1838), aged 25, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "David G. Fleming" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 9th December 1863 4
Miss Mary O'Mara, (b. 1842), aged 25, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd January 1868 4
Miss Sarah O'Mara, (b. 1846), aged 21, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd January 1868 4
Miss Anastasia O'Mara, (b. 1850), aged 17, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd January 1868 4
Mary O'Mara, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1874
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name O'Mara (post 1700) +

John Aloysius O’Mara (1924-2022), American-born, Canadian Roman Catholic prelate, born in Buffalo, New York
Thomas J. O'Mara, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New Hampshire State House of Representatives from Laconia 4th Ward, 1938 5
Thomas F. O'Mara, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State House of Representatives from Wayne County 1st District, 1930 5
P. J. O'Mara, American politician, Mayor of Gillette, Wyoming, 1899-1901 5
John B. O'Mara, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Missouri, 1888 5
Eugene J. O'Mara, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New Jersey 10th District, 1928 5
Edward J. O'Mara (b. 1897), American Democratic Party politician, Member of New Jersey State Senate from Hudson County, 1941-53; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1944, 1948 5
Daniel J. O'Mara (b. 1893), American Republican politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Monroe County 1st District, 1932-34; Justice of New York Supreme Court 7th District, 1958 5
Shane Francis Seamus O'Mara (b. 1982), American rower
Michael "Mike" O'Mara (b. 1985), American musician, original guitarist and backup vocalist of the American indie rock band Sleepaway
... (Another 11 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
Matheson, Robert E., Special Report on Surnames in Ireland with Notes as to Numeric Strength, Derivation, Ethnology, and Distribution. Dublin: Alexander Thom & Co., 1894. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html