Quote Originally Posted by DWFII View Post
I've seen something of this sort done for my mother's family name--Sweeney. I've seen the derivation of Sweeney from MacSween and so forth.

I've read that after Bannockburn many of the MacSweens left for Donegal where they became Sweeneys...that's seem pretty straight-forward. But those that stayed somehow became MacQueens and/or MacEwens. Do you have any idea how MacSween becomes MacQueen or even MacEwen?
SWEENEY The original Gaelic form (whether Irish or Scottish) is Mac Suibhne. (Pronounced MAC SWIN-EE or MAC SWIN-yA) This translates to son of Suibhne, a personal name meaning peaceful or tranquil. The aspirated form of the name is Mac Shuibhne (pronounced MAC HWIN-EE or MAC HWIN-yA) This is where M(a)cQueen is derived from. Just another bad Anglicisation, really. MacEwen is an unrelated name, the original Scottish Gaelic forms are Mac Eobhainn or Mac Eoghain.

The MacSweeneys came to Donegal (from Scotland) as gallowglass (mercenaries) long before Bannockburn, and served the O'Donnell of Tirconnell. If I remember correctly, there are three MacSweeney clans in Ireland: MacSweeney of Donegal, MacSweeney of Fanad and MacSweeney of Muskerry.