Ó hÁdhmaill
Ó hÁdhmaill is a Gaelic Irish clan from Ulster.[6] The name is now rendered in many forms, most commonly Hamill. The clan are a branch of Cenél nEógain (specifically, Cenél mBinnigh), belonging to the Uí Néill; they claim descent from Eochu Binneach, the son of Eógan mac Néill. Their descendants in Ireland are found predominantly across Ulster, and County Louth, Leinster.
Pronunciation | O'Hamill |
---|---|
Origin | |
Language(s) | Irish |
Meaning | Descendant of Ádhmall (quick, ready, active)[1] |
Region of origin | Ruled a territory in South Tyrone[2][3] & Armagh, now found across Ulster and Louth |
Motto | Esse Quam Videri To Be Rather Than To Seem |
Other names | |
Variant form(s) | Ádhmall, Áḋmaıll, Ui hAdhmaill, Ó hÁḋmaill, Ó hAdhmaill, O'hAdhmaill, Ui hAghmaill, Ó hÁghmaill, Ó hAghmaill,[4] O'hAghmaill, O'Hamill, Hamill, Hamil, Hammill, Hammil, O'Hamell, O'Hammell, Hamell, Hammell, Hammel, Hamel, Homill, Hommill, Homil, O'Hammoyle,[5] Hamilton, Hamiltone |
Clan was noted for being poets and ollovs (learned people) Ua hAghmaill are hereditary chiefs of; Teallach Cathalain, Teallach Duibhbrailbe and Teallach Braenain / Glenconkeine, barony of Loughinsholin |
In Irish if the second part of the surname begins with a vowel 'Á', the form Ó attaches a h to it, this is the h-prothesis mutation. In this case Ádhmaill becomes Ó hÁdhmaill. The other forms effect no change: Ní Adhmaill, (Bean) Uí Adhmaill.[7][8]
Capitalized as: Ó hÁDHMAILL or Ó ʜÁDHMAILL, the first 'h' should always be either lowercase, or a smaller 'H' font size.
House | Male | Meaning | Anglicised | Wife | Daughter | Examples |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Uí | Ó/Ua | descendant of | O' | Uí | Ní | Peadar Ó hAdhmaill, Aoife Uí Adhmaill (Aoife wife of Peader), Róisín Ní Adhmaill (Róisín daughter of Peader) |
Motto and Coat of Arms
The Motto is Esse Quam Videri, translated as To Be Rather Than To Seem.[9]
The Slogan (battle cry) is "Vestigia nulla retrorsum", translated as No backward steps.[10]
The Coat of Arms is described as being; A shield azure field with two horizontal bars of ermine fur. On top of the shield is a ducal coronet. Atop the coronet is the figure of a leopard in profile, sitting with its face to the viewer's left.[9][10]
- The Azure/Blue represents Strength, Loyalty and Truth
- The Ermine is associated with the robes and crowns of Royal and Noble Personages
- Ducal Coronet is a crown of a duke
- Leopard in profile is traditionally depicted the same as a lion
History
One of the leading clans of the Cenél mBinnigh, Cenél nEógain a branch of the Northern Uí Néill. They are descendants of Eochach Binnich mac Eógain, son of Eógan mac Néill, son of the fifth-century Néill Noígiallaig (Niall of the Nine Hostages), founder of the Uí Néill dynasty. Cenél mBinnigh where the first clan of the Cenél nEógain (Cenél nEóghain)[11] to advance from Inishowen.
The O'Hamills continued to move from North Ulster with the Northern Ui Neill's, and ruled territory in County Tyrone and County Armagh, South Ulster.[3]
- Hereditary Chief or Clan chief; Ua hAghmaill (O'Hamill), Teallach Duibhbrailbe.
- Cinéal (Kinship); Cenél nEógain (Cinel Eoghain).
- Finte (Clans); Ua Brolaigh, herenaghs of Tech na Coimairce and Clongleigh.
- Branches;
- Cenél mBinnig Glinne in the valley of Glenconkeine, barony of Loughinsholin
- Cenél mBindigh Locha Droichid east of Magh Ith in Tirone (County Tyrone)
- Cenél mBindigh Tuaithe Rois and one branch of the Ua Brolaigh, east of the River Foyle and north of the barony of Loughinsholin
- Niall Noi nGiallach - Néill Noígiallaig - Niall of the Nine Hostages
- Eógan mac Néill - Eoghan mac Niall (Cenél nEógain - Cenél nEóghain - Cineál Eoghain)
- Eochach Binnich mac Eógain - Och Binnigh mac Eoghan (Cenél mBinnigh - CineálnBinnigh)
- Ua hAghmaill - Ó hÁdhmaill - O'Hamill
- Eochach Binnich mac Eógain - Och Binnigh mac Eoghan (Cenél mBinnigh - CineálnBinnigh)
- Eógan mac Néill - Eoghan mac Niall (Cenél nEógain - Cenél nEóghain - Cineál Eoghain)
Irish-English Hamill
Prior to the middle of the 20th century, Irish was usually written using the Gaelic typefaces, in this case the surname appeared as Ó hÁḋmaıll. The dot above the lenited letter (ḋ) was replaced by the letters dh from the standard Roman alphabet changing it to Ó hÁdhmaıll. Also the Irish language makes no graphemic distinction between dotted i and dotless ı so at the same time it changed to Ó hÁdhmaill.
As the dh is silent, the pronunciation is similar to spelling it as O'Hamill which is how it came to be spelt when it was phonetically anglicised,[12] over time the spelling lost the O' and changed to Hamill,[13] giving us the modern Irish-English spelling of Hamill.
Notable people include
Community
- Tara Uí Adhmaill, Educator, specialising in the teaching of Irish to adults with expertise in raising children with Irish and Co-Founder of Glór Mológa, an Irish language community group based in Dublin South Central.
Historic
- Giolla Criost Ó hAdhmaill, taoiseach of Clann Adhmaill[14] who fought with the last King of Ulaid, Ruaidhrí Mac Duinnshléibhe against John de Courcy in 1177.
- Ruarcan O'Hamill, chief Poet to O'Hanlon[15][16]
Professional
- Judge William G.J. Hamill, Judge of the District Court[17]
- Seán Ó hAdhmaill, Conradh na Gaeilge & Glór na nGael.
- Dr. Feilim O'Hadhmaill, Programme Director & Lecturer at University College Cork, in Applied Social Studies.[18]
- Cormac Ó hÁdhmaill, BBC TV Presenter[19]
- Éamonn Ó hAdhmaill, TV Presenter[20] and editor[21]
Sport
- Tomás O’hAmaill (sic), Tomás Hamill, Tipperary senior inter-county hurling team[22]
Military
- Peadar Ó hÁḋmaıll, Peter Hamill, Na Fianna Éireann 1st Brigade, 4th Northern Division, No. 5. Sec.,[23] Dún Dealgan[24]
- Thomas Hamill[24] (1878-1955), Irish Volunteers, 4 Battalion, Cycling Corps and Irish Republican Army, 1 Brigade, 4 Northern Division, Dundalk[25]
- Thomas Hamill, Dunleer[24]
- Thomas Hamill, Irish Volunteers and Irish Republican Army, Dublin. Served in 1 Battalion, G Company, Dublin Brigade.[26]
- Thomas Hamill, Na Fianna Éireann, 1st Battalion Belfast Brigade[27]
- William Hamill, Na Fianna Éireann, 3rd (Armagh) Brigade, 4th Northern Division, Armagh City Sluagh attached to Armagh City Batt.[28]
- Barney Hamill, Na Fianna Éireann, 3rd (Armagh) Brigade, 4th Northern Division, Derrytrasna Sluagh attached to Lurgan Batt.[28]
- George Hamill, Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), Lurgan Battalion, B Company Lurgan[29]
- James Hamill, Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), Lurgan Battalion, C Company Derrymacash[29]
- Thomas Hamill, Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), A Company, Dungannon Battalion, No. 1 Brigade, 2nd Northern Division[30]
- James Hamill, Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), A Company, Dungannon Battalion, No. 1 Brigade, 2nd Northern Division[30]
- John Hamill, Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), B Company, Dungannon Battalion, No. 1 Brigade, 2nd Northern Division[30]
- James Hamill, Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), C Company, Dungannon Battalion, No. 1 Brigade, 2nd Northern Division[30]
- John Hamill, Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), C Company, Dungannon Battalion, No. 1 Brigade, 2nd Northern Division[30]
- Patrick Hamill, Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), D Company, Dungannon Battalion, No. 1 Brigade, 2nd Northern Division[30]
- Arthur & Patrick Hamill, Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), D Company, Dungannon Battalion, No. 1 Brigade, 2nd Northern Division[30]
- Michael Hamill, Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), F Company, Dungannon Battalion, No. 1 Brigade, 2nd Northern Division[30]
- Francis Hamill, Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), G Company, Dungannon Battalion, No. 1 Brigade, 2nd Northern Division[30]
- Sáir Seán Ó hÁmaill (sic), Sgt. John Hamill (died Cyprus 7/4/1965), Memorial: Irish Army United Nations Service, located Section 40, South Section (E) of Glasnevin Cemetery.[31]
Notable people with Anglicised variants include
Places
Variations
While Hamell in Irish is spelt Ó hÁmaill,[32] it is often incorrectly used as the Irish version of Hamill.[22][31]
Unrelated names – same spelling
There are several surnames that are spelt the same but are unrelated:[33][34][3][35]
- Some Scottish Hamill's are of Norman origin and are named after a location; Haineville or Henneville in Manche, France. Which itself was named from the Germanic personal name Hagano and the Old French ville for 'settlement'.
- The English Hamill's of Saxon origin are named after a nickname from Middle English, and the Old English "hamel".
- The English/Scottish Hamilton's are named after a location; the village of Hamilton, Leicestershire, England.
External links
References
- Library of Ireland, Ó hÁdhmaill
- Hamill households in mid-19th century Ireland
- "Ulster Ancestry Hamill". www.ulsterancestry.com. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- Library of Ireland, Ó hÁghmaill
- The Book of Irish Families, Great & Small, By Michael C. O'Laughlin, 2002
- Annals of the Four Masters, M1166.11
- Ó hÁdhmaill Foras na Gaeilge
- Ó hÁdhmaill Sloinne Surname
- "History of Hamill Name". www.oocities.org. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- Jordan, John W. (2004). Colonial And Revolutionary Families Of Pennsylvania. Genealogical Publishing Com. ISBN 9780806352398.
- "The great Cineál Eoghain | ONeills of Ulster". ancientclanoneill.com. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- Anglicisation of Irish Surnames
- Why are there so many English Surnames in Ireland?, Mike, 2013
- Mac Carthaigh's Book, MCB1178.1
- Annals of the Four Masters, M1376.8
- Annals of Loch Cé, LC1376.4
- Judges of the court service of Ireland
- UCC Programme Director Voluntary and Community Sector Management
- BBC Cormac Ó hAdhmaill
- BBC2 Cuisle Irish language arts series
- ROSG Fíor Scéal produced for TG4
- Tomás O’hAmaill, incorrectly spelt by GAA
- Military Archives - 1 Brigade, 4 Northern Division, Dundalk
- Bogan, Alan; Agnew, Pádraic; Howard, Marcus (2016). The Louth Volunteers 1916. Dundalk: The Write Space Publishing. p. 328. ISBN 9781911345381.
- Military Service Pensions Records, File Reference: MSP34REF16105
- Military Service Pensions Records, File Reference: MSP34REF8931
- Military Archives - 1st Battalion Belfast Brigade
- Military Archives - 3 (Armagh) Brigade, 4 Northern Division
- Military Archives - Lurgan Battalion
- Military Archives - 2nd Northern Division, 1 Brigade (Tyrone), 2nd Battalion (Dungannon)
- Sáir Seán Ó hÁmaill, incorrectly spelt on Irish Defence Forces U.N. Service Memorial
- Sloinne, Foras na Gaeilge; Ó hÁmaill
- US About Family Education
- Forebears English/Scottish Hamill Surname Meaning
- Dictionary of American Family Names