5,276 Global KILKENNY Family Members

KILKENNY Family History

This very interesting surname is of Irish origin, and is an Anglicized form of the Old aelic "Mac Giolla Chainnigh". The Gaelic prefix "mac", denotes "son of", with "giolla", literally meaning "servant", but used here in the transferred sense of "devotee", and the saint's name Cannach (Canice); hence "son of the devotee of St. Canice". Traditionally, Irish family names are taken from the heads of tribes or from some illustrious warrior, but in some instances, sept names indicate veneration of a particular saint, as in Kilcash, from "Mac Giolla Chais" (devotee of St. Cas). The Great "Mac Giolla Chainnigh" sept were of the ancient Cenel Eoghain population group, and were located in Tyrone and south Derry...