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Medieval Scotland | Scottish Names Resources
Historical Name Generator: 16th C. Gaelic Names | Irish Gael

Historical Name Generator:
Sixteenth Century Irish and Scottish Gaelic Names

Irish Gaelic Man

3. Byname Type

An Irish Gaelic man could use two different kinds of bynames (surnames) in his name. One was a patronymic byname which indicated who his father was, usually by his father's given name, that is, his father's first name. A patronymic byname did not say anything at all about what clan he belonged to! The other kind of byname was a clan affiliation byname which did indicate what clan he belonged to (which would be the same clan as his father's clan).

Sometimes the same Irish man would be identified by his patronymic byname, sometimes by his clan affiliation byname, and sometimes by both together. In the future this Historical Name Generator will show all three permutations of a man's name, but for now it can be used for the patronymic byname only or for the clan affiliation byname only (but not both together).

Should this name indicate who his father was (patronymic) or what clan he is a member of (clan affiliation)?

Patronymic (indicating who his father was)
Clan Affiliation (indicating what clan he is a member of)

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