County Donegal Genealogy and Family History Notes

Family History
NOTES and Coats of Arms

County Donegal, Ireland, Genealogy and Family History Notes

Finding Your Family in County Donegal This illustrated, well indexed book, was created exclusively to help you find your family in County Donegal, Ireland. Focusing specifically on families within the county, it includes an introduction to research and sources in Donegal. The most numerous families from birth records are given, as well as rather rare Donegal families found in heraldic records. Included you will find a full page county map from the Atlas of Ireland, along with a listing of modern parishes and old townlands, along with the address and location of records for more research. Published by the Irish Genealogical Foundation, this book was originally made for members researching in Donegal.

What this book does This work includes copies of actual records (some worn, torn and faded), from the IGF Library. It also includes rough sketches of family coats of arms and notes from centuries past - seldom found elsewhere. The resources provided here will help research any family in the county, including old Irish families, and settler families from England, Scotland, Wales and the continent. This book is a hands on guide for finding your family in Donegal- some family history is included - but it is not a gigantic collection of family histories . (For that see 'The Book of Irish Families, great & small', the first book in the Irish Families series by O'Laughlin. See also “Families of County Donegal, Ireland, a part of this series)

The Irish Families Project for Donegal The Master book to the 34 volume Irish Families series is 'The Book of Irish Families, great & small'. That book gives hundreds of family histories from County Donegal, and the surrounding areas. " County Donegal Genealogy and Family History Notes", volume 34 in the series, expands upon that coverage with added families and new resources just for Donegal. (In this way both books can work together as a set if desired, or they may be used independently for research.)

Most Numerous Families
The most numerous families in Donegal in the 19th century were:

Gallagher.....Gallaher.....Galagher
Doherty.....Dougherty.....Daugherty
Boyle.....Boyl.....Boyal
O'Donnell.....Donnell.....O'Donel
McLaughlin.....McLoughlin.....Laughlin
Sweeney.....Sweaney.....Sweeny.....McSweaney
Ward.....Macanward....MacWard
Kelly.....Kelley.....Kellie
McGinley.....McKinley.....MacKinly
McFadden.....MacFaden.....McFaden
McGowan.....MacOwen.....McCowan
Duffy.....Duffie.....Duffey
Campbell.....Cambell.....Camble

The Families of Co. Donegal contents:

Table of Contents

List of Books, ISBN data..
Barony Map of Donegal (1878)..

Part One
Introduction to Sources; Birth Index..
National Resource List ..
Local Resource List..
Names in County Donegal ..

Part Two
The complete existing returns from the 'census' of 1659, also showing the methods of spelling family names and place names at that time in history. Many Irish families are given in specific baronies within the county in this census. Additionally the barony is broken down into parishes, Townelands, and tituladoes, along with the number of English and Irish in each area. The tituladoes are both Irish and English. The baronies included here are : Tirhugh; Boylagh & Banagh; Rapho; Kill McCrenan; and Enishowen.

Note the names on the first page: Thomas Lord Folliot; Michall Houtsone; Charles Dunsterfield; Capt. Henry Brook; Capt. Thomas Stewart; George Knox, and so on... These are but a few of the names given in specific parishes and townelands. Many others are grouped together giving surname and barony of location. The Principal Irish names along with head count is given at the end of each barony, for example: McAtire (6); McAnulty (8); McAward (11); O’Brislane (8); O’Boyle (41) and so on, for each barony.
It should be remembered that place names and family names were spelled differently in earlier days, so the researcher should look closely at spellings given here.

Part Three
Coats of Arms and Genealogical Notes.
Arms connected in some way to the county, as taken from the Irish Book of Arms. The original listings provide specific locations for families, and clues for future research. Old illustrations of arms are included for the families of : Batt; Boyd; Burton-Conyngham; Butler; Chichester; Child; Cockayne; Colhoun; Crawford; FitzWilliams; Gore; Grove; Harvey; Hewitt; Humfrey; Knox; Nicholson; Savile; Stewart; Stubbs; Todd-Thornton; and Vershoyle, all with County Donegal connections.

Part Four
Finding Locations..
County Map..
Index of Place Names, ancient & modern. A sampling of place names to assist in
finding locations in the county, as taken from the Master Book of Irish Placenames.

Parish Names in County Donegal.
The parish is an important subdivision of the county. Parish records can be vital to research in the county. The following modern parishes are listed as in Co. Donegal:
Aghanunshin All Saints Aughnish Barr of Inch or Mintiaghs Burt Clonca Clondahorky Clondavaddog Clonleigh Clonmany Convoy Conwal Culdaff Desertegny Donagh Donaghmore Donegal Drumhome Fahan Lower Fahan Upper Gartan Glencolumbkille Inch Inishkeel Inishmacsaint Inver Kilbarron Kilcar Killaghtee Killea Killybegs Lower Killybegs Upper Killygarvan Killymard Kilmacrenan Kilteevoge Leck Lettermacaward Mevagh Mintiaghs or Barr of Inch Moville Lower Moville Upper Muff Raphoe Raymoghy Raymunterdoney Stranorlar Taughboyne Templecarn Templecrone Tullaghobegley Tullyfern Urney

Keep in mind the spelling of place names and parishes can change over time. Be flexible in your research when looking for these names.
Townland names and modern parishes are given in this selection. County Donegal also includes the towns of Ballyshannon, Donegal, Killybegs; Lifford, St. Johnstown, Letterkenny, Ramelton, and many others...

Family Name Index

Illustrations and Extracts
Donegal Castle A-2
Surname Map for Mcgee

Families on the 4 Masters Map
What families were in the county in earlier days ? This might provide a clue to the locations of your family today. Here are some of the families given on the Map in the History of Ireland by the 4 Masters (Connellan translation. 2003, I.G.F.) E. = Earl, L.=Lord, C. = chieftain: Fitzgerald, E. .

Mac Bride Mac Clean Mac Closkey Mac Duvan, C. Mac Crossan Mac Davett Mac Gettigan Mac Gilbride Mac Ginty Mac Gorigal Mac Gowan Mac Hugh Mac Sweeny, L. Mac Teige Mac Ward O' Begley O' Boyle, L. O' Breslin, C. O' Brodar, C. O' Cannanan, P. O' Clery, C. O' Coigley (Quigley) Mac Loghlin, P. Mac Nulty O' Coyle O' Curran O' Devir O' Dogherty, L. O' Donnelly, C. O' Donlevy O' Donnell, P. O' Dooyarma, L. O' Dornin O' Dorrian O' Duffy O' Early O' Forranan, C. O' Freel O' Gallaher, C. O' Gormley, C. O' Hagerty O' Harkan O' Hugh O' Kenny, C. O' Kernaghan O' Laverty O' Leaney, C. O' Lynchy O' Morrison O' Muldorry, P. O' Mulgee O' Mulmoghery O' Mulvany O' Murray O' Neill, P. O' Quinn, C. O' Rafferty O' Roddy O' Rody O' Sheeran O' Tarcert, C.

The Final Word A hands on guide to find your family within the county Donegal . New; Full size 8 1/2 x 11; 52 pages; heavier parchment type cover; lay flat binding; illustrations, some of which may appear faded with age as in the originals; County Map; Local Sources; Coats of Arms; and record extracts. Many families are given with family history notes, specific locations; coat of arms; and seats of power. Some are only mentioned. A must for any researcher. ( For a large collection of family histories within the county we also recommend "The Book of Irish Families, great & small", by O'Laughlin. A third work that continues the Irish Families Project on Donegal is entitled “Families of County Donegal, Ireland”.)

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