Surname O'Gwynn - Meaning and Origin

O'Gwynn: What does the surname O'Gwynn mean?

The surname O'Gwynn is an Irish surname, originating from two Gaelic Irish surnames - Ó Suilleabháin and Ó Gamhna. It is most commonly found in County Cork.

The surname translates to mean "son/descendant of Suilleabháin" or "son/descendant of Gamhna". Suilleabháin originates from suil, the Irish word for "eye", and adhbhain, meaning “elegance”. Thus, the literal translation of O'Suilleabháin is “descendant of elegant eye”. Gamhna comes from gamhan, the Irish word for “calf”.

O'Gwynn has its own Coat of Arms, bearing a chevron which splits three billets, a golberry chevron, two tigers and an eagle. This emblem is said to represent some of the characteristics of an O'Gwynn - strength, courage and bravery.

The O'Gwynn were a family of strong warriors and leaders, active in battles and in politics. They were a prominent part of the Celts of Ireland, an ancient Gaelic people who lived in the country for centuries.

The surname also appears in other places around the world. For example, various branches of the O'Gwynn family moved to England and even as far as the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Today, the O'Gwynn surname is still relatively common in Ireland, and there are descendants of the family around the world. It also holds a place in modern Irish culture, and it's a reminder of the strength of the Gaelic people and the ancient roots of their nation.

O'Gwynn: Where does the name O'Gwynn come from?

The last name O'Gwynn is most common in Ireland, particularly the northwest counties of Donegal, Sligo, and Cavan. There is also a concentration of the name in the United States, especially in the states of Wisconsin, New York, and California.

The O’Gwynn name is derived from the Irish Gaelic ‘O’ oath prefix, denoting a member of a particular clan, and the Personal name ‘Gwynn’, derived from the Welsh word 'gwini', meaning 'white or fair'.

The clan originates from the 14th century when the O'Gwynns were among the fourteen original families of County Donegal in northwest Ireland. In 1609, the four provinces of Ireland and their associated clans were divided up by the English and by the 17th century, the O'Gwynns were settled mainly in Counties Donegal and Leitrim.

In the 1800's Irish mass emigration due to poverty hit the north-west particularly hard, many of the O'Gwynn family left Ireland and emigrated to the United States searching for better economic opportunities. Today, the most recorded number of O’Gwynn name-holders are located in the United States and are descendants of those from the 19th Century diaspora.

Variations of the surname O'Gwynn

The surname O'Gwynn is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname “Ó Gaoithín” which translates to “descendant of Gaoithín”. O'Gwynn is an Irish patronymic surname which originated in County Galway, although other variants of the name are said to have originated in Scotland and the Isle of Man. The most common variants of the name O'Gwynn include O Gwen, O Gwyn, O Gwynn, O Gwinn, O Gwin, O Gwinne, and O Gwynne. Less common variants include Goen, Gweon, Gwinn, Gwinnen, Gwynne and Gwenne. Other variants include Flinn, Quinn, Heneghan, McKeown, McGeown, and McGowan. The O'Gwynn surname can also be found with an additional 'Mc' prefix, as in McGregor and MacGowan. Additional spellings of the name include Gawin, Gane, Gwen, Gwenn, Gwinn, Gwin, Gwyn, Gynne and McGuine.

Famous people with the name O'Gwynn

• Mark O'Gwynn: Lead guitarist of classic rock band Foghat who also writes and performs his own solo music.
• Tim O'Gwynn: Former Major League Baseball pitcher best known for his time with the San Diego Padres.
• Barrie O'Gwynn: Retired professional soccer player, who represented the Republic of Ireland national team during the 1980s.
• Anne O'Gwynn: Award-winning playwright, best known for her critically-acclaimed production CloudCuckooland.
• Shelley O'Gwynn: Winner of the Canadian National Grandmaster Chess Championship.
• Jennifer O'Gwynn: Award-winning author, best known for her novel Before We Were Human.
• Kevin O'Gwynn: Award-winning actor and producer, known for his roles in films such as American Reunion and Dark Knight Rises.
• Tommy O'Gwynn: Professional rodeo cowboy and winner of multiple titles.
• Mike O'Gwynn: Former professional basketball player and coach, best known for his time with the Atlanta Hawks.
• Michelle O'Gwynn: Winner of multiple gold medals in ice-skating competitions.

Other surnames

O'Gwyn