Keitine History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Although Ireland already had an established system of hereditary surnames, the Strongbownians brought many of their own naming traditions to the island. There were, however, similarities between the two systems. The Strongbownians, like the Irish, frequently used patronymic surnames, a form of surname that was built from the name of the initial bearer's father, or another older relative. Norman patronymic names, because they were originally formed in French, were often created by the addition of a diminutive suffix to the given name, such as "-ot," "-et," "-un," "-in," or "-el." Occasionally, two suffixes were combined to form a double diminutive, as in the combinations of "-el-in," "-el-ot," "-in-ot," and "-et-in." These Stronbownians also created patronymic names by the prefix "Fitz-," which was derived from the French word "fils," and ultimately from the Latin "filius," which both mean "son." This prefix probably originated in Flanders or Normandy, it has disappeared from France entirely but remains common in Ireland even today. The Strongbownian surname of Keitine is derived from the Old English personal name Cyting. The Gaelic form of the surname Keitine is Céitinn. The indigenous Keaty family of Ireland, whose Gaelic name is Ó Céatfhadha, occasionally assumed the surname Keitine. 1

Early Origins of the Keitine family

The surname Keitine was first found in County Wexford (Irish: Loch Garman), founded by Vikings as Waesfjord, and located in Southeastern Ireland, in the province of Leinster.

"One of the earliest of the hibernicized Anglo-Norman families, whose name was Gaelicized Céitinn. They settled in south Leinster." 2

Early History of the Keitine family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Keitine research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1569, 1605, 1621, 1630, 1644, 1661, 1662, 1691, 1889, 1908 and 1977 are included under the topic Early Keitine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Keitine Spelling Variations

Church officials and medieval scribes often simply spelled names as they sounded. As a result, a single person's name may have been recorded a dozen different ways during his lifetime. Spelling variations for the name Keitine include: Keating, Keaty, Keeting, MacKeating and others.

Early Notables of the Keitine family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was Seathrún Céitinn, (English: Geoffrey Keating), (c. 1569-1644), Irish Roman Catholic priest, poet and historian from Tipperary, buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. "After education in a school near his birthplace, where Irish literature was taught, he was sent abroad for his university education. The name of 'P. Geofroy Ketting, docteur en theologie, Vatterford,' appears in a list of Irish priests who were protected and educated by the Archbishop of Bordeaux at Bordeaux between 1605 and 1621. Keating certainly returned to Ireland as a priest after an...
Another 97 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Keitine Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Keitine family

The Irish emigration during the late 18th and 19th century contributed to the melting pot of nationalities in North America, and the building of a whole new era of industry and commerce in what was seen as a rich, new land. Ireland'sGreat Potato Famine resulted in the worst economic and social conditions in the island's history. And in response to the hunger, disease, and poverty, during this decade the total number of emigrants to leave for North America rivaled all the previous years combined. Those from this decade that arrived on North American shores were not warmly welcomed by the established population, but they were vital to the rapid development of the industry, agriculture, and infrastructure of the infant nations of the United States and what would become Canada. Research into early immigration and passenger lists has shown many people bearing the name Keitine: Daniel, David, James, John, Michael, Patrick, Peggy, Peter, Thomas and William Keating all arrived in Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1860. In Newfoundland, Michael settled in Harbour Main in 1750.

The Keitine 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: Fidelissimus semper
Motto Translation: Always Faithful

Citations +

O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)