Surnames of Irish origin have experienced many changes in their spellings and forms. Before being translated into English, MacNemara appeared as Mac Conmara, which means "hound of the sea" or "warrior of the sea."
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Early Origins of the MacNemara family
The surname MacNemara 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.
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Early History of the MacNemara family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacNemara research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1402, 1426, 1768, 1797 and 1826 are included under the topic Early MacNemara History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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MacNemara Spelling Variations
One name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer because one must realize that attempting to record a Gaelic name in English is a daunting task at the best of times. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origin of the MacNemara family name include McNamara, McNamar, McNamarra, McNamard, Sheedy and many more.
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Early Notables of the MacNemara family
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacNemara Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the MacNemara family
The 18th and 19th centuries saw many Irish families immigrate to North America in search of land and opportunities. The largest influx of Irish immigrants to the United States and British North America came during the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine laid waste to their homeland. Hundreds of thousands left the island in an attempt to escape the starvation and disease it brought. Although the arrival of such a large number of destitute Irish was not welcomed by the established population in the United States and what would become known as Canada at the time, these Irish were an essential element to the rapid development of these growing industrial nations. They filled the demand for the cheap labor needed for the work in factories and in the construction of bridges, roads, canals, and railways. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many immigrants bearing the name of MacNemara or one of its variants: 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..
Ireland
