Gannes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• France
• Ireland

Etymology of Gannes

Irish names tend to vary widely in their spelling and overall form. The original Gaelic form of the name Gannes is "Mag Fhionnbhairr," which is derived from the word "fionnbharr," which means "fair head." 1

The Mc Geaney and O'Geaney variants were originally Geibheannaigh in Gaelic which roughly translates to "fettered" in English. These branches were typically found in Co. Cork and Co. Roscommon. 1

Early Origins of the Gannes family

Early History of the Gannes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gannes research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1172 is included under the topic Early Gannes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gannes Spelling Variations

Names during the Middle Ages were often recorded under several different spelling variations during the life of their bearers. Literacy was rare at that time and so how a person's name was recorded was decided by the individual scribe. Variations of the name Gannes include Gaynor, Gainor, Gainer, Gaines, Gains, McGaynor and others.

Early Notables of the Gannes family

More information is included under the topic Early Gannes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gannes family

In the late 18th century, Irish families began emigrating to North America in the search of a plot of land to call their own. This pattern of emigration grew steadily until the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s cause thousands of Irish to flee the death and disease that accompanied the disaster. Those that made it alive to the shores of the United States and British North America (later to become Canada) were, however, instrumental in the development of those two powerful nations. Many of these Irish immigrants proudly bore the name of Gannes: Samuel Gayner who settled in Virginia in 1663; Austin, Edward, James, John, Luke, Patrick, and Peter Gaynor, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.