MacDonel Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available: Irish, Scottish

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This family was originally Mac Domhnaill in Gaelic, meaning 'son of Domhnall' and as such a patronymic name. The family claim descent from Colla Uais, the 121st Monarch of Ireland, a younger brother of Colla da Chrioch.

MacDonel Early Origins

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The surname MacDonel was first found in County Clare where MacDonell and O'Easkin were chiefs of the territories of Corca Baisgin or Baiscind, now the barony of Moyarta. However, according to John O'Hart, in his reference Irish Pedigrees, Hart agrees with Connellan's Annals of the Four Masters in that many of the tribe " Clan Colla" traveled from Ulster where they were the Earls of Antrim to settle in Scotland where they retained the name MacDonnell but were generally called MacDonalds who became the Lord of the Isles. Edward MacLysaght disagrees with O'Hart and believes the migration went he other way, in other words the MacDonalds came to Ireland in the 13th century to become the MacDonnells in Antrim. As both authorities were Chief Heralds of Ireland, and noted authors, we put both scenarios here for the reader to decide the family's origin.

MacDonel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: McDonnell, Hoddonell, O'Donnal, Otonell, MacDonnell, Donneill, McDonel, McDonell, McDonneil, Hodonell, McDonnel, McDoneill, Odonell, Odonel, Donnelson, Donnell, Donnel, O'Donnall, Donell and many more.

MacDonel Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacDonel research. Another 413 words (30 lines of text) covering the years 1505, 1890, 1505, 1590, 1636, 1615, 1699, 1609, 1683, 1691 and 1754 are included under the topic Early MacDonel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacDonel Early Notables (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the family name at this time was Somhairle Buidhe Mac Domhnaill (Somerled of the yellow hair, son of Donnell, Anglicized Sorley Boy McDonnell) (c. 1505 - 1590), Irish prince or flaith and chief; Randal Macsorley MacDonnell, 1st Earl of Antrim (died 1636); and his son, Alexander MacDonnell, 3rd Earl...

Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacDonel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

MacDonel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James MacDonel, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 ^[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)

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: His vinces
Motto Translation: With these you will conquer.

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Citations

^ 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)

Other References

Fitzgerald, Thomas W. Ireland and Her People A Library of Irish Biography 5 Volumes. Chicago: Fitzgerald. Print.
Sullivan, Sir Edward. The Book of Kells 3rd Edition. New York: Crescent Books, 1986. Print. (ISBN 0-517-61987-3).
Vicars, Sir Arthur. Index to the Prerogative Wills of Ireland 1536-1810. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co. Print.
Grehan, Ida. Dictionary of Irish Family Names. Boulder: Roberts Rinehart, 1997. Print. (ISBN 1-57098-137-X).
Woodham-Smith, Cecil. The Great Hunger Ireland 1845-1849. New York: Old Town Books, 1962. Print. (ISBN 0-88029-385-3).
MacLysaght, Edward. Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7).
Weis, Frederick Lewis, Walter Lee Sheppard and David Faris. Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists Who Came to New England Between 1623 and 1650 7th Edition. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0806313676).
MacLysaght, Edward. Mores Irish Familes. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0).
Egle, William Henry. Pennsylvania Genealogies Scotch-Irish and German. Harrisburg: L.S. Hart, 1886. Print.
Magnusson, Magnus. Chambers Biographical Dictionary 5th edition. Edinburgh: W & R Chambers, 1990. Print.
...

The MacDonel Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The MacDonel Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 13 August 2015 at 08:35.