O'Donelan Surname History

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Etymology of O'Donelan

Many variations of the name O'Donelan have evolved since the time of its initial creation. In Gaelic it appeared as Ó Domhnallain, derived from the personal name of Domhallan, Lord of Clan Breasail, from whom the sept claims descent. 1

Early Origins of the O'Donelan family

Early History of the O'Donelan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Donelan research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1588, 1609, 1616, 1640, 1649, 1660, 1665 and 1705 are included under the topic Early O'Donelan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Donelan 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 O'Donelan family name include Donellan, Donnellan, Donnelan, Donelan, Donnellin, Donellin and many more.

Early Notables of the O'Donelan family

Reverend Nehemiah Donellan (d. 1609), Archbishop of Tuam, who translated the New Testament into Irish. His name is written in Irish Fearganinm O'Domhnallain, and he was born in the county of Galway, and is said to have been a son of Melaghlin O'Donellan. 2 His first son was Nehemiah Donnellan (1649-1705), was...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early O'Donelan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the O'Donelan family

Irish families left their homeland in astonishing numbers during the 19th century in search of a better life. Although individual reasons vary, most of these Irish families suffered from extreme poverty, lack of work opportunities, and exorbitant rents in their homeland. Many decided to travel to Australia or North America in the hopes of finding greater opportunities and land. The Irish immigrants that came to North America initially settled on the East Coast, often in major centers such as Boston or New York. But like the many other cultures to settle in North America, the Irish traveled to almost any region they felt held greater promise; as a result, many Irish with gold fever moved all the way out to the Pacific coast. Others before that time left for land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula, or the Maritimes as United Empire Loyalists, for many Irish did choose to side with the English during the American War of Independence. The earliest wave of Irish migration, however, occurred during the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has revealed many people bearing the O'Donelan name: Patrick Donellen arrived in Philadelphia in 1860; Mary Donellin settled in Virginia in 1655; Catherine Donnellan settled in Quebec in 1848.