Contents [hide]

Donnellan History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Donnellan Surname History

Origins Available:
Ireland

Many variations of the name Donnellan have evolved since the time of its initial creation. In Gaelic it appeared as Ó Domhnallain, derived from the personal name of Domhallan, Lord of Clan Breasail, from whom the sept claims descent. 1

Early Origins of the Donnellan family

The surname Donnellan was first found in Galway (Irish: Gaillimh) part of the province of Connacht, located on the west coast of the Island, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Donnellan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Donnellan research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1588, 1609, 1616, 1640, 1649, 1660, 1665 and 1705 are included under the topic Early Donnellan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Donnellan Spelling Variations

Just like the English language, the Gaelic language of Ireland was not standardized in the Middle Ages. Therefore, one's name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origins of the Donnellan family name include Donellan, Donnellan, Donnelan, Donelan, Donnellin, Donellin and many more.

Early Notables of the Donnellan family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was

His first son was Nehemiah Donnellan (1649-1705), was an Irish lawyer and judge and his second son, Edmund Donellan, was an Irish Anglican clergyman, Archdeacon of Cashel (1616-1640.)
Sir James Donnellan (c. 1588-1665), was an Irish lawyer and politician, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in 1660, Privy Counsellor of Ireland

Donnellan Ranking

In the United States, the name Donnellan is the 17,795^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Donnellan migration to the United States +

Ireland became inhospitable for many native Irish families in the 19th centuries. Poverty, lack of opportunities, high rents, and discrimination forced thousands to leave the island for North America. The largest exodus of Irish settlers occurred with the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. For these immigrants the journey to British North America and the United States was long and dangerous and many did not live to see the shores of those new lands. Those who did make it were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest and most powerful nations of the world. These Irish immigrants were not only important for peopling the new settlements and cities, they also provided the manpower needed for the many industrial and agricultural projects so essential to these growing nations. Immigration and passenger lists have documented the arrival of various people bearing the name Donnellan to North America:

Donnellan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Martin Donnellan, aged 32, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 3
Catherine Donnellan, aged 55, who landed in New York, NY in 1848 3
John Donnellan, who arrived in New York in 1851 3
Edward Donnellan, who landed in Ohio in 1888 3

Donnellan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Donnellan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Miss Catherine Donnellan, aged 7 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Naomi" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 4
Mr. Luke Donnellan, aged 30 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Naomi" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 4
Mr. Peter Donnellan, aged 22 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Sarah" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in July 1847 4
Catherine Donnellan, who settled in Quebec in 1848

Donnellan migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Donnellan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr.James Donnellan, (Donnell), (b. 1793), aged 26, Irish plasterer and tiler who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Bencoolen" on 24th April 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Margaret Donnellan, aged 20, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Gloucester" 6
Biddy Donnellan, aged 22, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Gloucester" 6
Anne Donnellan, aged 20, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Coromandel" 7
Michael Donnellan, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Nabob"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Donnellan (post 1700) +

Keith Donnellan (b. 1931), American Professor Emeritus at the University of California
Michael Donnellan (1900-1964), Irish Clann na Talmhan politician
John F Donnellan (b. 1937), former Irish Fine Gael party politician who served for nearly thirty years in Dáil Éireann
Philip Donnellan (1924-1999), English documentary film-maker
DeClan Donnellan (b. 1953), British theatre director and writer

The Donnellan Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Omni violentia major
Motto Translation: Too strong for any violence.

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 25)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bencoolen
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) GLOUCESTER 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/anglia1852.shtmL
South Australian Register Tuesday 9th January 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Coromandel 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/coromandel1855.shtml