Surname McGuinness - Meaning and Origin

McGuinness: What does the surname McGuinness mean?

McGuinness is an Irish surname of Anglicized Gaelic origin. The original Irish form of the surname is Mac Aonghusa, meaning "son of Aonghus" or "son of Angus". Aonghus is the Old Irish spelling of Aengus, a figure in Irish mythology who is a god of love and youth.

The surname has been in common use in Ireland for centuries, particularly in Ulster where the family chiefs have continuously held strong links with their ancestral homeland. It is thought to have come to Ireland in the wake of the Norman conquest of England in 1066, when many Gaelic families emigrated from the British mainland to what was then the independent kingdom of Ireland.

The surname is still common throughout Ireland today, and has spread into other parts of the world, particularly to Great Britain and the United States of America. Today, it is still associated with County Donegal, in the north of the Republic of Ireland, and the Province of Ulster in Northern Ireland.

The McGuinness surname has been strongly associated with Irish history and culture, and with its origins heavily rooted in Gaelic folklore and mythology, this is something of immense pride for descendants of the McGuinness family.

McGuinness: Where does the name McGuinness come from?

The last name McGuinness is very common in Ireland; it is the 41st most common surname there. The name is also common in both Northern Ireland and England, particularly in Merseyside, Manchester and South Yorkshire.

McGuinness is believed to originate from the Gallowglass warrior-class of Scots-Irish mercenaries which were present in Ireland during the Middle Ages. The McGuinness family were part of the McGuinness Clan which were part of the O’Neill Dynasty in the 12th century.

Today, the McGuinness name is found in Clare, Donegal, Monaghan, Tyrone, Waterford, Mayo, Sligo, and Longford. It is also found in Scotland in Aberdeen and Glasgow; in England in London, Liverpool, and Manchester; and in the United States in the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

The McGuinness extended family are still very connected, holding various events throughout the year including a bi-annual reunion. These events serve to bring together the various branches of the family across the world.

McGuinness is also a fairly popular last name in entertainment and politics. Some notable people who have the last name include actor James McGuinness, politician Martin McGuinness, actress Maureen McGuinness, and singer Donnie McGuinness.

Variations of the surname McGuinness

The surname McGuinness is believed to be descended from an ancient Irish clan known as Mag Aonghusa. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for McGuinness are Mcginnis, Ginnis, Gennis, Guinness, Ginn, Gennison, Mcginley, Mcginn, Macgennis, Macginnes, Macguinness, Magennis, Maginnis, McGinness, McGinnessy, McGinniss, Mcginnigle, Macgeneas, Macguiness, Maginn, Maginnes, Maginness and Manging.

McGuinness is an ancient Irish clan and is believed to have originated in County Donegal in the north of Ireland. The oldest written record of the name dates back to the 15th century and is found in a deed of land in the parish of Inishowen. The name has been in existence ever since.

McGinnis is a variant of the name McGinness and is thought to have originated from an Irish sept which was based in Ulster. It is believed that the name was first found in the western part of County Donegal which was the ancient Irish clan.

Ginnis is the variant spelling of McGinness and is thought to have originated from an ancient Irish sept from Ulster. Ginnis is also thought to have been found in western parts of County Donegal in ancient times as well.

Gennis is a variant of McGinness and is thought to have originated from an ancient Irish sept that was based in Ulster. Gennis is also believed to have been found in western parts of County Donegal in ancient times as well.

Guinness is the Anglicized version of the surname McGinness. It is thought to have come from the Irish phrase "Mac Aonghasa" which translates to "son of Angus" and is thought to have been first found in County Donegal.

Ginn is a variant spelling of the surname McGinness and is thought to have originated from an ancient Irish sept that was based in Ulster. Ginn is also believed to have been found in western parts of County Donegal in ancient times as well.

Gennison is the variant form of the surname McGinness and is thought to have originated from an ancient Irish sept which was based in Ulster. Gennison is also believed to have been found in western parts of County Donegal in ancient times.

McGinley is the variant spellings of the surname McGinness and is thought to have originated from an ancient Irish sept which was based in Ulster. McGinley is also believed to have been found in western parts of County Donegal in ancient times as well.

McGinn is the variant spelling of the surname McGinness and is thought to have originated from an ancient Irish sept that was based in Ulster. McGinn is also believed to have been found in western parts of County Donegal in ancient times as well.

Overall, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname McGuinness include McGinnis, Ginnis, Gennis, Guinness, Ginn, Gennison, McGinley, McGinn, Macgennis, Macginnes, Macguinness, Magennis, Maginnis, McGinness, McGinnessy, McGinniss, Mcginnigle, Macgeneas, Macguiness, Maginn, Maginnes, Maginness and Manging.

Famous people with the name McGuinness

• Shane McGuinness: Irish hurler
• John McGuinness: professional motorcyclist
• Keith McGuinness: Lead Singer of Irish Band "The Stunning"
• Paul McGuinness: former manager of the rock band U2
• Siobhan McGuinness: professional golfer
• Michael McGuinness: English actor
• Jack McGuinness: English actor
• Dervla Kirwan: Irish actress
• Dave McGuinness: English actor
• Martin McGuinness: Irish politician
• Finlay McGuinness: Scottish actor
• Paddy McGuinness: English comedian
• Niall McGuinness: Irish theatre producer
• Rossa McGuinness: Irish dancer
• Sean McGuinness: Irish politician
• Anne McGuinness: English politician
• Joe McGuinness: Irish rugby player
• Gary McGuinness: English footballer
• Bongo McGuinness: Irish musician
• Siobhan McGuinness: Irish singer-songwriter

Other surnames

McGuinnMcGuinneMcGuinnes