Gaelic, otherwise known as Early Modern Irish, was used in Ireland from around the year 1200 until the 18th century. It is from this language that we found the first references to the name MacIldownie as Ó Dúnadhaigh. The name is essentially derived from the word dún which means fort. 1
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Early Origins of the MacIldownie family
The surname MacIldownie was first found in the twelfth century.
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Early History of the MacIldownie family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacIldownie research. Another 189 words (14 lines of text) covering the year 1420 is included under the topic Early MacIldownie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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MacIldownie Spelling Variations
Those scribes in Ireland during the Middle Ages recorded names as they sounded. Consequently, in this era many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the MacIldownie family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including O'Downey, Dawney, MacDowney, MacEldowney, Muldowney and many more.
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Early Notables of the MacIldownie family
Notable among the family name at this time was the O'Dunadhaigh sept found in Luchair, the old name of a region that lay on the borders of... Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacIldownie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the MacIldownie family
A massive amount of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century for North America and Australia in hopes of finding more opportunities and an escape from discrimination and oppression. A great portion of these migrants arrived on the eastern shores of the North American continent. Although they were generally poor and destitute, and, therefore, again discriminated against, these Irish people were heartily welcomed for the hard labor involved in the construction of railroads, canals, roadways, and buildings. Many others were put to work in the newly established factories or agricultural projects that were so essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the world. The Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s initiated the largest wave of Iris immigration. Early North American immigration and passenger lists have revealed a number of people bearing the name MacIldownie or a variant listed above: James Downey who went to Pennsylvania in 1711; Brian Dawney arrived in Virginia in 1722; Elizabeth Downey went to Philadelphia in 1745; William Downey settled in New York in 1777.
Ireland
Scotland
