The
Norman-French legacy in Ireland can be spotted through the use of the
surname prefix Fitz. It derives from the French word 'fils' meaning son.
Thus Fitz and Mac both mean‘son of’ and
some examples include Fitzpatrick, Fitzgerald, Fitzmaurice etc.
(although Fitzpatrick is and Irish name using the Norman form.) The
number of families with these surnames in Ireland currently is numerous.
Shortly after the invasion the Irish Normans became fully Gaelicised and this phenomenon led to the coining of the phrase becoming "more Irish than the Irish themselves" (Hiberniores Hibernis ipsis) and some Norman families adopted Mac instead of Fitz- e.g. Mac Jordan.
Despite the pervasiveness of surnames and the many loanwords in Irish from the Norman invaders, the number of Norman place names is remarkably small. One reason might be that the Normans did not found many towns. Instead they built keeps in the countryside and ruled from fortified castles. But even there, few if any Norman names are to be found. Perhaps it has to do with the acceptance by the Normans of the names which went with the territories occupied by the Irish. Occasionally there are recognisable instances of Norman names, e.g. Brittas, Irish Briotás (south of Dublin) from Old French Bretesche ‘boarding, planking’ or Pallas, Irish Pailís ‘stockade’.
The Normans were concentrated in the south of Ireland and have left a legacy of names which derive from the province of Munster and a point of the compass: for example Ormond is a rendering of Oirmumhan meaning east Munster, Thomond is a rendering of Tuadhmhumhain meaning north Munster and Desmond from Deasmumhan meaning south Munster. The latter later is also a common first name in Ireland. As these names are in the Irish language it provides more evidence of Norman Gaelicisation.
Image: the Bayeux Tapestry. An embroidery which tells the story of the French-Norman invasion of England in 1066AD.
Shortly after the invasion the Irish Normans became fully Gaelicised and this phenomenon led to the coining of the phrase becoming "more Irish than the Irish themselves" (Hiberniores Hibernis ipsis) and some Norman families adopted Mac instead of Fitz- e.g. Mac Jordan.
Despite the pervasiveness of surnames and the many loanwords in Irish from the Norman invaders, the number of Norman place names is remarkably small. One reason might be that the Normans did not found many towns. Instead they built keeps in the countryside and ruled from fortified castles. But even there, few if any Norman names are to be found. Perhaps it has to do with the acceptance by the Normans of the names which went with the territories occupied by the Irish. Occasionally there are recognisable instances of Norman names, e.g. Brittas, Irish Briotás (south of Dublin) from Old French Bretesche ‘boarding, planking’ or Pallas, Irish Pailís ‘stockade’.
The Normans were concentrated in the south of Ireland and have left a legacy of names which derive from the province of Munster and a point of the compass: for example Ormond is a rendering of Oirmumhan meaning east Munster, Thomond is a rendering of Tuadhmhumhain meaning north Munster and Desmond from Deasmumhan meaning south Munster. The latter later is also a common first name in Ireland. As these names are in the Irish language it provides more evidence of Norman Gaelicisation.
Image: the Bayeux Tapestry. An embroidery which tells the story of the French-Norman invasion of England in 1066AD.
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