Surname O'Daniel - Meaning and Origin
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O'Daniel: What does the surname O'Daniel mean?
The last name O’Daniel can be seen in many cultures, historically going as far back as the medieval period in Ireland and Scotland. The Irish spelling of the name is 'O'Diomhnaill', which translates to 'descendant of Domhnall', where 'Domhnall' is a masculine personal name translated to 'world mighty'. In Scotland, the name is 'Mac Dhomhnuill', which translates to 'son of Domhnall'. It is thought that the latter spelling may have been created due to the fact that Gaelic was once spoken in Scotland, and the Irish pronunciation of Domhnall may have caused them to spell it differently.
The O’Daniel family is thought to have originated in Connacht, which was a province in the West of Ireland, and was a powerful ally of the O’Neills. Surnames were not adopted by the family until the 12th century. In addition, O’Daniel was used as a baptismal name in honour of Saint Daniel, who is said to have been Jesus’ disciple.
Today, the O’Daniel family are present in many countries around the world, including The United States, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and Australia. Those with the name can trace their heritage back to the 12th century and are proud to possess such a distinguished and admired name.
Order DNA origin analysisO'Daniel: Where does the name O'Daniel come from?
The last name O'Daniel is most commonly found in the United States. It is particularly prevalent in the Southern states, especially states like Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
O'Daniel is an Anglicized version of the Irish surname O’Domhnallain (“The Son of Donall”). This surname was particularly prominent in the Irish provinces of Connacht and Munster. During the mass Irish immigration to the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries, O’Daniel spread to the southern states.
Today, O’Daniel remains most concentrated in central Texas, with the highest number in Houston. Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio are other popular areas for the surname. It can also be found in smaller quantities in other parts of the nation, including Arizona, California, and Florida.
Variations of the surname O'Daniel
The surname O'Daniel can trace its roots back to the Gaelic surname Ó Doinn which translates to “descended from Donn”. This indicates that the surname was connected to an ancestor who was known by the name Donn. Variants, spellings, and some variations of the same origin surname include McDaniel, MacDaniel, Ó Doinn, Ó Donnelly, Donnelley, and Donnelly.
The variations of ‘McDaniel’ come from a combination of the Gaelic prefix ‘Mac’, which translates to “son of”, and ‘Duncan’, which is an anglicization of the Gaelic ‘Ó Doinn’. Therefore, the variation of ‘Donaldson’ is derived from the Gaelic form of the surname ‘Ó Doinn’.
The prefix ‘Ó’ is a common Irish and Scottish Gaelic surname prefix, which translated to English means “grandson of” or “descended from”. The prefix is also used in other Gaelic languages, such as Welsh. Therefore, surname variations with the same Gaelic origin can include O’Donnell, O’Donovan, and O’Donoghue.
Lastly, according to the Irish Central, the name Donnelly is a derived from the Irish name O’Donnghaile, which is thought to have derived from the Irish surname O’Dohnnghaile which is closely related to the O’Daniel surname.
To sum up, the O’Daniel surname can be found in many forms and variations, including, McDaniel, MacDaniel, Ó Doinn, Ó Donnelly, Donnelley, Donaldson, O’Donnell, O’Donovan, O’Donoghue, and Donnelly. All of these surname originates from the Gaelic Ó Doinn, meaning “descended from Donn” or “grandson of Donn”.
Famous people with the name O'Daniel
- Lynn O'Daniel: lead singer of the American pop-rock band O'Daniel and also the lead singer and guitarist of the indie project Kim and the Created.
- Robert H. O'Daniel: United States Marine Corps General who served as the last Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1961 to 1964.
- Pat O'Daniel: American politician who served as the 32nd Governor of Texas from 1939 to 1941.
- Caleb O'Daniel: Emmy-nominated American writer, director, and producer, best known for his work on Call Me Kat.
- Ted O'Daniel: All-American college football player for Tulane University.
- Milt O'Daniel: former Major League Baseball player in the 1920s.
- Greg O'Daniel: former NFL defensive back.
- Rachel O'Daniel: Olympic sailor, represented Australia in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in the Laser class.
- John O'Daniel: American football player who played for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles in the mid-1920s.
- Don O'Daniel: Democratic politician who served as a member of both houses of the Texas state legislature in the 1980s.