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![Show Contents]() MacNamar History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Ireland
Surnames of Irish origin have experienced many changes in their spellings and forms. Before being translated into English, MacNamar appeared as Mac Conmara, which means "hound of the sea" or "warrior of the sea." Early Origins of the MacNamar familyThe surname MacNamar was first found in County Clare (Irish: An Clár) located on the west coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where MacConmara or MacNamara was chief of the territory of Clan Caisin, now the barony of Tullagh. The family was also sometimes styled chiefs of Clan Cuilean; derived from Cuilean, one of their chiefs in the eighth century. This ancient family have traditionally held the high office of hereditary marshals of Thomond. Early History of the MacNamar familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacNamar research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1402, 1426, 1768, 1797 and 1826 are included under the topic Early MacNamar History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. MacNamar Spelling VariationsMany variations of the name MacNamar were found in archives from the Middle Ages. Names during the Middle Ages were typically recorded as they sounded and in many cases, one's surname spelling changed with each record.The spelling and language in which the people's names were recorded was often up to the individual scribe. Variations of the name MacNamar found include McNamara, McNamar, McNamarra, McNamard, Sheedy and many more. Early Notables of the MacNamar familyNotable amongst the family name at this time was - Francis Macnamara was listed as a Representative of the People in the Irish House of Commons in 1797(IP)
Migration of the MacNamar familyIrish families fled the English-colonized Ireland in record numbers during the 19th century for North America. Many of those destitute families died from disease during, and even shortly after, the long journey. Although those that immigrated before the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s often were granted a tract of land, those that arrived later were generally accommodated in urban centers or in work camps. Those in the urban centers would labor in the manufacturing sector, whereas those in work camps would to build critical infrastructures such as bridges, canals, roads, and railways. Regardless of when these Irish immigrants came to North America, they were critical for the rapid development of the young nations of the United States and Canada. Early immigration and passenger lists have recorded many early immigrants bearing the name of MacNamar: Augustine McNamara who arrived in St. John's Newfoundland in 1794; Bridget, Elizabeth, James, John, Martin, Mathew, Michael, Patrick, Timothy and William McNamara, who all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..
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