Surname O'Guinidhe - Meaning and Origin
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O'Guinidhe: What does the surname O'Guinidhe mean?
The last name O'Guinidhe (pronounced OH-GWEE-NEE-hee) is an Irish Gaelic patronymic surname, which descend from the male Gaelic patronymic prefix “O,” meaning “descendant of,” plus the personal name “Guinidhe,” which is a medieval Gaelic personal name. Thus, the literal translation of the surname O'Guinidhe is “descendant of Guinidhe.”
In Irish history, Guinidhe was very likely derived from a Gaelic word “ginide” which literally means “an individual who shouted a battle cry.” Alternatively, it is also possible that the personal name derived from a wide range of Gaelic words that designated specific professions or characteristics, including “ganadin,” which means “headman,” or “ganid,” which has two possible meanings — “bird” or “son of a woman.”
The surname O’Guinidhe has been widely used for centuries now in County Mayo, Ireland — predominantly in the west. It is observed that the distribution of families bearing the same surname varies significantly in different parts of the world. The name has crossed geographical boundaries and is now popular in many countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Generally, the surname O’Guinidhe represents a proud identity that symbolizes the strong and determined character of Irish ancestors who lived centuries ago. The proud descendants of O’Guinidhe carry the legacy of their ancestors in their name, forever intertwined with the ancient Gaelic culture.
Order DNA origin analysisO'Guinidhe: Where does the name O'Guinidhe come from?
The last name O'Guinidhe is a patronymic Irish surname, originally derived from the Gaelic given name "Ó Coinneidigh". It is estimated to be one of the twenty most common surnames in Ireland today.
O'Guinidhe is a clan that originates from south County Roscommon. It is most common in Connacht, particularly in territories south of Loughrea, County Galway. Other places where the surname is common include counties Fermanagh, Mayo, and Leitrim. The O'Guinidhe clan is said to be descendants of Conn of the Hundred Battles, a legendary High King of Ireland.
O'Guinidhe is also commonly found in the United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the last name is the 8,912th most common surname in the country. It is most commonly found in the states California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, New York, and New Jersey. It is estimated that there are currently around 2,575 individuals in the U.S. who share the surname O'Guinidhe.
The meaning of O'Guinidhe in modern Irish is "descendant of Coinneidigh". Coinneidigh is a personal name composed of two elements, "cú" meaning "hound" or "wolf"; and "aidi" meaning fire. Therefore, alternatively, the surname often interprets to "descendant of the hound of fire".
Variations of the surname O'Guinidhe
The surname O'Guinidhe is an Irish name of ancient origin. It is an anglicized version of the Gaelic name Ó Coinnide, which originated in the Connacht Province in Ireland. The name is associated with the ancient Gaelic Sept, or clan, of the Uí Conchúir who were a branch of the Uí Fiachra.
Variants of the surname include Ó Cunide, O Conidhe, O Coinede, O Guinidhe, O Connide, Ó Coinide, O Coinidhe, O Conneydhe, O Connydhe, O Conyde, O Cunneide, O Cunnidhe, O Guinnede and O Guinnyde.
The surname can also be characteristically spelled with and without the apostrophe (O Guinidhe and Guinidhe). Additionally, the name is sometimes hyphenated (O-Guinidhe).
In Ireland, spellings of the surname can often change depending on one’s region and dialect. For example, the spelling O'Connide is more likely to be found in the south of Ireland, whereas O Guinidhe is more likely to be found in the west of the country.
The surnames embedded in the O’Guinidhe clan include Quinide, Gunide, Kannedy, Conneedy, Guinidy and Coinidy. These names are sometimes used in place of “O’Guinidhe”.
In general, the Williams Beider Dictionary of Surnames states that O’Guinidhe is most prevalent in the Counties Mayo and Galway in the Connacht Province of Ireland. It is also found as far west as County Clare.
Famous people with the name O'Guinidhe
- Martin O'Guinidhe, an Irish actor and playwright.
- Peadar O'Guinidhe, a leading Irish poet.
- Aoife O'Guinidhe, a renowned Irish feminist historian.
- Ruairí O'Guinidhe, an acclaimed Irish documentary photographer.
- Patrick O'Guinidhe, an esteemed Irish political figure.
- Stephen O'Guinidhe, a celebrated Irish musician.
- Owen O'Guinidhe, a renowned Irish sportsman and coach.
- John O'Guinidhe, a noted Irish artist and painter.
- Michael O'Guinidhe, an award-winning Irish novelist.
- Caitríona O'Guinidhe, an accomplished Irish architect.
- Aoife O'Guinidhe, a celebrated Irish acting teacher and playwright.
- Maeve O'Guinidhe, an acclaimed Irish book illustrator.
- Niall O'Guinidhe, a talented Irish video game producer.
- Sean O'Guinidhe, a celebrated Irish poet and playwright.
- Darragh O'Guinidhe, a celebrated Irish folk musician.
- Mary O'Guinidhe, an esteemed Irish television personality and travel writer.
- Patrick O'Guinidhe, a leading Irish sculptor.
- Seamus O'Guinidhe, an acclaimed Irish songwriter and composer.
- Brian O'Guinidhe, an accomplished Irish screenwriter and filmmaker.
- Eibhlín O'Guinidhe, a renowned Irish theologian and professor.