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![Show Contents]() O'Lynch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Anglo-Norman Conquest of Ireland lead by Strongbow introduced the first non-Gaelic elements into Irish nomenclature. These Anglo-Normans brought some traditions to Ireland that were not readily found within Gaelic system of hereditary surnames. One of the best examples of this is the local surname. Local surnames, such as O'Lynch, were taken from the name of a place or a geographical feature where the person lived, held land, or was born. These surnames were very common in England, but were almost non-existent within Ireland previous to the conquest. The earliest surnames of this type came from Normandy, but as the Normans moved, they often created names in reference to where they actually resided. Therefore, some settlers eventually took names from Irish places. Originally, these place names were prefixed by de, which means from in French. This type of prefix was eventually either made a part of the surname, if the place name began with a vowel, or was eliminated entirely. The O'Lynch family originally lived in some location which is no longer known. The original form of the Norman surname O'Lynch was de Lench. However, there is also a native Irish family named O'Lynch. This surname, which was originally Ó Loingsigh, is derived from the Gaelic word loingseach, which means mariner. Early Origins of the O'Lynch familyThe surname O'Lynch was first found in County Galway (Irish: Gaillimh) part of the province of Connacht, located on the west coast of the Island, where they were granted lands by Strongbow after the English Norman invasion of Ireland in 1172. Early History of the O'Lynch familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Lynch research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1320, 1488, 1489, 1490, 1507, 1611, 1623, 1669, 1676, 1682, 1684, 1691 and 1713 are included under the topic Early O'Lynch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. O'Lynch Spelling VariationsMedieval scribes and church officials spelled the names as they sounded, so a name was often spelled many different ways during the lifetime of a single person. The investigation of the origin of the name O'Lynch revealed many spelling variations including Lynch, Linch, O'Lynch and others. Early Notables of the O'Lynch familyNotable amongst the family up to this time was Geoffrey (Geffere) Lynch (fl. 1488-1489), 4th Mayor of Galway; John Lynch fitz John, fifth Mayor of Galway (1489-1490); Robuck Lynch, sixth Mayor of Galway (1489-1490); Arthur Lynch (Mayor), 22nd Mayor of Galway, (died 1507), a member of one of The...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early O'Lynch Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the O'Lynch familyIreland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name O'Lynch: Francis Lynch, who settled in Georgia in 1733; Jeremiah Lynch settled in Virginia in 1638; Patrick Lynch settled at Prescott Ontario in 1825 with his wife and seven children.
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Ireland
England
