Surname Guinidhe/O'Guin - Meaning and Origin
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Guinidhe/O'Guin: What does the surname Guinidhe/O'Guin mean?
The Irish surname Guinidhe/O’Guin is derived from Ó hUiginn, which is a Gaelicised form of the Norse personal name Víkingr, meaning a Viking, and is a closely related surname to O’Guinn, O’Quinn and Quinn. It is found mainly in southeastern Ireland in counties such as Wexford, Waterford and Cork.
In Irish and Gaelic, “O” means “grandson” or “descendent”, so O’Guin would mean “descendent of Viking”, in reference to their Viking roots. The Viking-descended Uí hUiginn clan of Connacht and southern Ulster was named after an ancestor known as Ubbons. This family is believed to have founded the modern Irish surname Uí hUiginn.
The surname is believed to have originated in the county of County Antrim, which was part of the traditional province of Ulaid. It has spread over the generations, and can be found in several counties throughout the island of Ireland.
This ancient family was believed to be wealthy and influential in their native Connacht, and many members of the family held prominent positions in politics and the church during the Middle Ages. This clan was also believed to be well-versed in literature and music.
The O’Guin family continues to be popular today, as it retains its Gaelic roots and is still very connected to its Irish heritage. The Uí hUiginn are still an influential and respected part of Irish culture and history, and the surname enjoys a strong popularity, both in Ireland and abroad.
Order DNA origin analysisGuinidhe/O'Guin: Where does the name Guinidhe/O'Guin come from?
The surname Guinidhe (sometimes spelled O'Guin) is most commonly found today in Ireland where the surname has roots primarily in the province of Connacht on the island's west coast. Primarily a Gaelic surname, the spelling for the family name is often rendered O'Guinneidhe, O'Guinney, or Guinness in English. Family names starting with ‘O’, which is the Irish Gaelic form of ‘grandson of’, are believed to have originated in the 15th or 16th century; and variants of the name are known to have existed as far back as 1600 where the spelling Guienneidhe was found in County Mayo.
The name has several possible meanings including ‘fair-headed’ and ‘son of the fair-minded one’. It is believed to have descended from a male ancestor Kinneidhe or Connán who gave his name to the Clan Kinneidhe. The current inhabitants of the surname take their descent from an ancestor of the O'Kineidhe Sept, which still holds its place in the line of the Mayo chieftains.
In modern times it is likely that the surname is distributed throughout various parts of Ireland. Due to the Irish diaspora, Guinidhe is also likely to be found across other parts of the UK and the USA. With the availability of searchable databases and records, it is possible for those with the surname Guinidhe to trace their family histories and locate specific family members.
Variations of the surname Guinidhe/O'Guin
The surname Guinidhe/O'Guin is a Gaelic surname that likely originated in the Irish counties of Cork and Kerry. It is derived from the Irish name Mungúinn or Guinn, which means ‘fair’ or ‘good’.
Variants of this surname include Gineed, Gineedh, Gineedhe, Gineedd, Guinead, Guineadhe, Ginide, Ginideh, Ginidhe, Ginidd, Giniyidh, Giniyidhe, Giniyudd, Goinidh, Goinidhe, Goiniyidh, Goiniyidhe, Goiniyudd, and Ginieedh.
Some common spellings of this surname today include Gynn, Ginn, Gynne, Ginns, Gined, Gine, Gened, Genede, Guine, Gued, Guinn, Gwinn, Gwynn and Gwynne.
Some other surnames that have the same origin as Guinidhe/O'Guin include Kinne, Kinnee, Kinney, O'Guing, O'Gwinn, O'Gwyn, O'Gwen, Guinnane, Gynne, Gynney, Gindy, Gendy, Gyned, Genedy, Gwined, Gwyned, Gwyned, Gwened, Goffin, Geffin, Keffin, Geffen, Kiffin and Giffen.
Famous people with the name Guinidhe/O'Guin
- Jason O’Guin: co-owner of the American restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings.
- Neil Guinan: professional footballer for Clyde FC.
- Paul O’Guinneain: actor best known for his role in Coronation Street.
- Teresa Guinidhe: international human rights lawyer focusing on justice and reform in The Gambia.
- Edouard Guinidhe: Henri Langlois Award-winning French documentary filmmaker and anthropologist.
- Mary O’Guinidhe: Irish broadcaster and filmmaker specializing in sports and documentary films.
- Conan O’Guinidhe: Irish professional snooker player.
- Corin Guinidhe-McKenna: British author and screenwriter best known for her writing credits on Crime Thriller and Avonmore.
- Alannah Guinidhe: 2016 winner of UK Celebrity MasterChef.
- Leroy O’Guinidhe: Sport Scientist and founder of the renowned Complete Athlete Development training program.