De-Anglicisation of Names

[slohairt]

Slohairt,

I don't know how I missed this thread until today. I just finished reading the whole thing and am amazed at all of the information that you have shared! This has been a great read, and of course I have some names to ask about too....

Martin
Kilgore
Boyle
Diggs

These are mine, my late wife and my wife's family names.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Marshal Moroni

MARTIN The Irish form of Martin is Máirtín and the Scottish Gaelic form is Martann. There are a large number of surnames which are based on this name: Mac Giolla Máirtín or Mac Gille Martainn, Mac Maolmháirtín, Ó Máirtín, Mac Martainn, the list goes on. Martin can be an Anglicised and abbreviated form of any of these names. Most of the time, however, Martin is usually of English or French origin.

KILGORE Here's a handy rule which usually works with Gaelic names beginning with Kil: If a patronymic name, it will be from Giolla/Gille, meaning 'servant' or 'youth'. If it is a topographical name, it will be derived from Cill, meaning 'church'. Kilgore (also Kilgour) is derived from Cill Gobhair (church of the goat?).

BOYLE Occasionally, this is a topographical name of Norman origin, from Bieville. Most of the time, it is an Anglicisation of the Irish name Ó Baoighill (Modern Irish spelling: Ó Baoill). The name means 'descended from Baoigheall', a personal name meaning pledge-holder (?)

DIGGS Unsure about this one. English, maybe?