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Origins Available: |
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The original Gaelic form of McNames was Mac Conmidhe, which means hound of Meath.
The surname McNames was first found in county Westmeath (Irish: An Iarmhí) in the Irish Midlands, province of Leinster, where they held a family seat from ancient times.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McNames research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McNames History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Irish names were rarely spelled consistently in the Middle Ages. Spelling variations of the name McNames dating from that time include McNamee, McNanamy, McNammee, McName, McNanny and others.
More information is included under the topic Early McNames Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 McNames or a variant listed above: John McName arrived in Philadelphia in 1838; Bernard, Charles, Francis, Hugh, James, John, Michael, Patrick, Thomas, McNamee all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.