Many variations of the name Drennen have evolved since the time of its initial creation. In Gaelic it appeared as O Draighnean, from the word draighnean, which means blackthorn.
Early Origins of the Drennen family
The surname Drennen was first found in County
Galway (Irish: Gaillimh) part of the province of
Connacht, located on the west coast of the Island, and
County Clare where O'Drennan was chief of Slieve Eise, Finn, and of Cinel-Seudna, a district on the borders of both counties.
Early History of the Drennen family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Drennen research.
Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1696 and 1768 are included under the topic Early Drennen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Drennen Spelling Variations
Just like the English language, the Gaelic language of
Ireland was not standardized in the Middle Ages. Therefore, one's name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer.
Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origins of the Drennen family name include Drennan, O'Drennan, Drenan, O'Drenan, Thornton and many more.
Early Notables of the Drennen family (pre 1700)
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Drennen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Drennen family to the New World and Oceana
Ireland became inhospitable for many native
Irish families in the 19th centuries. Poverty, lack of opportunities, high rents, and discrimination forced thousands to leave the island for North America. The largest exodus of Irish settlers occurred with the
Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. For these immigrants the journey to British North America and the United States was long and dangerous and many did not live to see the shores of those new lands. Those who did make it were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest and most powerful nations of the world. These Irish immigrants were not only important for peopling the new settlements and cities, they also provided the manpower needed for the many industrial and agricultural projects so essential to these growing nations. Immigration and passenger lists have documented the arrival of various people bearing the name Drennen to North America:
Drennen Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- William Drennen, who arrived in New Jersey in 1685 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Contemporary Notables of the name Drennen (post 1700)
- Robert Drennen (b. 1952), American professional baseball player
- George Drennen, American education activist
- William Miller Drennen (1914-2000), American served from 1958 to 1992 as a judge of the United States Tax Court
- John J. Drennen (b. 1986), American professional baseball outfielder
The Drennen 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: Nec opprimere nec opprimi
Motto Translation: Neither to oppress nor to be oppressed.