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McLoughlin is an Irish surname.
| | This article needs additional citations for verification .(December 2009) |
McLoughlin is an Irish surname.
The surname Mac/Nic Lochlainn originated in the Irish province of Ulster. Lochlann was originally a name for Scandinavia, especially Norway, so called after the fjords – Lochlainn, the adjectival form, literally means "lake-ish" or "full of lakes," a "land of lakes," etc. The Annals of Ulster refer to the Vikings as Lochlannach meaning "of Lochlann." [1] A small DNA sample size; so far, shows the clans origins are in Donegal [2]
Lochlan(n)/Lochlain(n) is still used as a man's personal name in Ireland and Scotland, though not commonly. English forms of the surname Mac/Nic Lochlainn are concentrated in western Ulster, on both sides of the international boundary. But the family are found throughout Ulster, and spread eastward during the Middle Ages, across the North Channel into Scotland where they became the Clan MacLachlan. Spellings of the name peculiar to Scotland include McLachlan, McLachlin, and McLauchlan. The Mac/Nic Lochlainn and their Scottish cousins are descendants of the Northern Uí Néill. [3]
The Ó/Ní Maoilsheachlainn surname originated in Meath. The family claim descent from High King Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill of the Southern Uí Néill, relatives of the Northern family. The surname was originally rendered O'Melaghlin in Norman French and Middle English but was corrupted to McLoughlin and M'Loughlin in the 18th century. [4]
The Lochnaigh family in Connaught, who claim descent from the Uí Fiachrach dynasty, mostly became Loughney in English but are very occasionally called McLoughlin. They tend to be concentrated in Galway.
The McLoughlins of Ulster are part of the Cenél nEógain branch of the Northern Uí Néill. They ruled what is now Counties Tyrone, Londonderry and Donegal. High Kings of Ireland from this family were:
The Ó Maoilsheachlainns of the Kingdom of Mide (presently the counties of Meath, Westmeath, and parts of the counties of Dublin, Kildare, Offaly, Longford, and Louth, all now in Leinster, and part of County Cavan, now in Ulster) are descendants of the Southern Uí Néill.
High Kings of Ireland of this family included:
The Ó Máoilsheáchlainns of Meath lost their lands and their power in the centuries following the Norman Invasion – their homeland of Meath even losing its status as a kingdom/province and being absorbed into Leinster. The family were recorded as O'Melaghlin, and after the 17th century, McLoughlin.
The Northern Uí Néill family expanded from Ulster into Argyll, in Scotland, where Middle Irish Mac/Nic Lochlainn became Modern Scots Gaelic Mac/Nic Lachlainn, most commonly spelled MacLachlan in Scots and English.
See the Clan MacLachlan article for more information.
Brian Boru was the High King of Ireland from 1002 - 1014. He ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill, and is likely responsible for ending Viking invasions of Ireland. Brian Boru is mentioned in the Annals of Inisfallen and in Chronicon Scotorum as "Brian mac Cennétig". The name Brian of Bóruma or Brian Boru was given to him posthumously Brian built on the achievements of his father, Cennétig mac Lorcain, and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain. Brian first made himself king of Munster, then subjugated Leinster, eventually becoming High King of Ireland. He was the founder of the O'Brien dynasty, and is widely regarded as one of the most successful and unifying monarchs in medieval Ireland.
The Battle of Clontarf took place on 23 April 1014 at Clontarf, near Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland. It pitted an army led by Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, against a Norse-Irish alliance comprising the forces of Sigtrygg Silkbeard, King of Dublin; Máel Mórda mac Murchada, King of Leinster; and a Viking army from abroad led by Sigurd of Orkney and Brodir of Mann. It lasted from sunrise to sunset, and ended in a rout of the Viking and Leinster armies.
M(a)cLaughlin is the most common Anglicized form of Mac Lochlainn, a masculine surname of Irish origin. The feminine form of the surname is Nic Lochlainn. The literal meaning of the name is "son of Lochlann". Note that Mc is simply a contraction of Mac, which is also truncated to M' . Thus, MacLaughlin, McLaughlin and M'Laughlin are the same Anglicism, the latter two merely contractions of the first.
Áed mac Néill, called Áed Findliath to distinguish him from his paternal grandfather Áed Oirdnide, was king of Ailech and High King of Ireland. He was also called Áed Olach according to Baile in Scáil, section 51. A member of the northern Uí Néill kindred of the Cenél nEógain, Áed was the son of Niall Caille.
Cormac mac Art Ó Melaghlain, was King of Mide from around 1209/10 to 1239. He managed to win several notable victories over the Anglo-Normans and as a result was one of the more prominent and successful later Kings of Mide. Whatever gains Cormac made were not to prove long lasting however, even in his own reign, and the successor lords of Clann Cholmain were largely insignificant to the politics of later medieval Ireland.
Toirdhealbhach Mór Ua Conchobhair anglicised Turlough Mór O'Conor, was King of Connacht (1106–1156) and High King of Ireland.
Domhnall Ua Lochlainn, also known as Domhnall Mac Lochlainn, was king of the Cenél Eogain, over-king of Ailech, and alleged High King of Ireland.
The history of Ireland 795–1169 covers the period in the history of Ireland from the first Viking raid to the Norman invasion. The first two centuries of this period are characterised by Viking raids and the subsequent Norse settlements along the coast. Viking ports were established at Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Cork and Limerick, which became the first large towns in Ireland.
Niall Glúndub mac Áeda was a 10th-century Irish king of the Cenél nEógain and High King of Ireland. Many Irish kin groups were members of the Uí Néill and traced their descent from Niall of the Nine Hostages.
Máel Sechnaill mac Máel Ruanaida, also known as Máel Sechnaill I, anglicised as Malachy MacMulrooney was High King of Ireland. The Annals of Ulster use the Old Irish title rí hÉrenn uile, that is "king of all Ireland", when reporting his death, distinguishing Máel Sechnaill from the usual Kings of Tara who are only called High Kings of Ireland in late sources such as the Annals of the Four Masters or Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn. According to the "Grand History of the Celts", a traditional book of facts and folklore, Mael Sechnaill was the husband of Mael Muire, the granddaughter of the legendary Alpin, a 9th-century king of Dalriada.
Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill, also called Máel Sechnaill Mór or Máel Sechnaill II, was a King of Mide and High King of Ireland. His great victory at the Battle of Tara against Olaf Cuaran in 980 resulted in Gaelic Irish control of the Kingdom of Dublin.
Amlaíb Conung was a Viking leader in Ireland and Scotland in the mid-late ninth century. He was the son of the king of Lochlann, identified in the non-contemporary Fragmentary Annals of Ireland as Gofraid, and brother of Auisle and Ímar, the latter of whom founded the Uí Ímair dynasty, and whose descendants would go on to dominate the Irish Sea region for several centuries. Another Viking leader, Halfdan Ragnarsson, is considered by some scholars to be another brother. The Irish Annals title Amlaíb, Ímar and Auisle "kings of the foreigners". Modern scholars use the title "kings of Dublin" after the Viking settlement which formed the base of their power. The epithet "Conung" is derived from the Old Norse konungr and simply means "king". Some scholars consider Amlaíb to be identical to Olaf the White, a Viking sea-king who features in the Landnámabók and other Icelandic sagas.
The Mac Lochlainn were a leading branch of the Cenél nEógain and during the early medieval period, the most powerful clan in the Northern Uí Néill. They descended from Domnall Dabaill, son of Áed Findliath. Another son of the latter was Niall Glúndub eponymous ancestor of the Ua Néill. As a result of their descent from Domnall Dabaill, the Mac Lochlainn were known as Clann Domnaill or Clann Domhnaill. The eponym behind the surnames Mac Lochlainn andÓ Lochlainn,—is Lochlann mac Máelsechnaill, King of Inishowen. The surnames themselves formed not as a result of Lochlann's prominence, but as a consequence of the remarkable success of his grandson, Domnall Ua Lochlainn.
Domhnall ua Néill was High King of Ireland from 956 to 980.
Ímar, synonymous with Ivar the Boneless, was a powerful Viking leader in Ireland and Scotland in the mid-late ninth century. He was the progenitor of the Uí Ímair dynasty, who would go on to dominate the Irish Sea region for several centuries. He was the son of the king of Lochlann, identified in the non-contemporary Fragmentary Annals of Ireland as Gofraid. The Fragmentary Annals name Auisle and Amlaíb Conung as his brothers. Another Viking leader, Halfdan Ragnarsson, is considered by some scholars to be another brother. The Irish Annals title Amlaíb, Ímar and Auisle "kings of the foreigners". Modern scholars use the title "Kings of Dublin" after the Viking settlement which formed the base of their power. Some scholars consider Ímar to be identical to Ivar the Boneless, a Viking commander of the Great Heathen Army named in contemporary English sources who also appears in the Icelandic sagas as the eldest son of the legendary Viking Ragnar Lodbrok by third wife Aslaug.
Flaithbertach Ua Néill was king of Ailech, a kingdom of north-west Ireland. He abdicated in 1030 and undertook a pilgrimage to Rome, for which reason he was known as Flaithbertach an Trostáin. Following the death of his son Áed in 1033, Flaithbertach left his retirement and resumed the leadership of the Northern Uí Néill.
Events from the 9th century in Ireland.
Events from the 10th century in Ireland.
Lachlan is a masculine given name of Scottish Gaelic origin.
