MacManus History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

There are many Irish surnames being used today in forms that are quite different than their original, ancient forms. MacManus originally appeared in Gaelic as Mac Maghnuis, which means son of Manus. The personal name Manus, imported into Ireland by the Norse, is ultimately derived from the Latin forename Magnus.

Early Origins of the MacManus family

The surname MacManus was first found in County Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) located in central Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the MacManus family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacManus research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1172 and 1181 are included under the topic Early MacManus History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacManus Spelling Variations

Many spelling variations of the surname MacManus can be found in the archives. One reason for these variations is that ancient scribes and church officials recorded names as they were pronounced, often resulting in a single person being recorded under several different spellings. The different spellings that were found include MacManus, MacManners, McManus, Manus and others.

Early Notables of the MacManus family

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

MacManus migration to the United States +

A great mass of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century, seeking relief from various forms of social, religious, and economic discrimination. This Irish exodus was primarily to North America. If the migrants survived the long ocean journey, many unfortunately would find more discrimination in the colonies of British North America and the fledgling United States of America. These newly arrived Irish were, however, wanted as a cheap source of labor for the many large agricultural and industrial projects that were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the western world. Early immigration and passenger lists indicate many people bearing the MacManus name:

MacManus Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Francis MacManus, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 1
Mary MacManus, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 1
Michael MacManus, who landed in New York, NY in 1815 1
Patrick MacManus, who landed in New York, NY in 1815 1
Bernard MacManus, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

MacManus migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

MacManus Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mrs. Catherine Macmanus, Irish cook who was convicted in Liverpool, Merseyside, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Brothers" on 20th November 1823, arriving in New South Wales, Australia and Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 2

Contemporary Notables of the name MacManus (post 1700) +

DeClan MacManus (b. 1954), birth name of Elvis Costello, English musician, singer and songwriter inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Diana MacManus (b. 1986), American three-time gold, four-time silver and two-time bronze medalist backstroke swimmer
Joseph Edward "Joe" MacManus (1970-1992), Irish member in the Sligo Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Seán MacManus (b. 1950), Irish politician, former Mayor of Sligo, Sinn Féin politician, former National Chairperson of the party from 1984 to 1990, father of Joseph MacManus
Henry MacManus (1810-1878), Irish painter
Steve MacManus, British comic writer
Ronald Patrick Ross MacManus (b. 1927), British musician and trumpet player, father of Elvis Costello
Arthur MacManus (1889-1927), Scottish trade unionist and political activist

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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/brothers