Show ContentsMoynahan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Moynahan

What does the name Moynahan mean?

The surname Moynahan is an anglicized version of the Irish name Ó Muimhneachain. 1

Early Origins of the Moynahan family

The surname Moynahan was first found in County Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo) located on the West coast of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht, where a sept of the Hy Fiachrach group called Ó Mionachain was mentioned in 1220 by the Four Masters. They were sub-chiefs of Erris.

One of the first records of the family was Murtogh Moynagh O'Conor, Prince of Connacht, Ireland, (fl. 1156-1210.)

Early History of the Moynahan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moynahan research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1659 is included under the topic Early Moynahan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moynahan Spelling Variations

Those scribes in Ireland during the Middle Ages recorded names as they sounded. Consequently, in this era many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the Moynahan family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including Moynihan, Minihan, Minaghan, Moynaghan, Myneghane, Minighane, Munnighane, Minihane, Minnagh, Mimnagh, Moyna and many more.

Early Notables of the Moynahan family

Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Moynahan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Moynahan migration to the United States +

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the Moynahan family relocated to North American shores quite early:

Moynahan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Denis Moynahan, who landed in New York in 1850 2
  • Pat and Humphrey Moynahan, who arrived in New York in 1854

Moynahan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Moynahan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Catherine Moynahan, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1862

Contemporary Notables of the name Moynahan (post 1700) +

  • Bridget Moynahan (b. 1972), American supermodel and actress, best known for her role as Erin Reagan in the police drama Blue Bloods.
  • Bernard Thomas Moynahan (1918-1999), American federal judge
  • Timothy C. Moynahan, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Mayor of Waterbury, Connecticut, 1981 3
  • Stephen A. Moynahan, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Massachusetts, 1952, 1956 3
  • J. J. Moynahan, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Colorado, 1916 3
  • Bernard T. Moynahan Jr., American politician, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, 1961-63 3
  • Bartholomew A. Moynahan, American Republican politician, Mayor of Peekskill, New York, 1958-59; Defeated, 1951 3
  • Brian Moynahan, English journalist and historical writer


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
  2. 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)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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