MCNAMARA
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Namara, Mc'Namara, Mc'namara, Mcnamara
McNamara is a surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Mac Conmara. It is traditionally associated with the British Isles, specifically Ireland, where the language of the early bearers was Gaelic.
The etymology of McNamara indicates that it means “son of the hound of the sea”. The elements of the original Gaelic phrase are con, meaning “hound”, and mara, meaning “sea”. Thus the name reflects a symbolic description of a son belonging to a maritime figure or a skilled mariner.
The surname is especially common in Ireland, with a significant concentration in County Clare and County Limerick. It has also spread widely to regions where the Irish diaspora settled, notably in the United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.
In County Clare the MacNamara sept was historically one of the most powerful dynasties of Thomond. After the O'Briens, they were hereditary marshals to the ruling family and had the privilege of inaugurating a principal chief who was often a king. The sept was divided into two branches: MacNamara Fyne (from the Irish fionn, meaning “fair”) and MacNamara Reagh (from riabhach, meaning “swarthy” or “grizzled”). The first recorded English spelling of the family name appears where a Thomas MacNamara was noted in 1680 in County Clare during the reign of King Charles I.
Variations of the name include MacNamara, McNamar, McNameer, MacConamarra, MacConmara, and occasionally the abbreviated McNemar. These forms retain the same pronunciation while reflecting regional spelling differences and the process of anglicisation.
Today, the surname remains most frequently found in Ireland, particularly within the original home county of Clare, and contributes to the cultural heritage that continues to be visible in Irish castles, landmarks and genealogical records.
Typical given names associated with the McNamara surname
Male
- Anthony
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Peter
- Stephen
- Thomas
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Deborah
- Elizabeth
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname McNamara in...
Braille
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Morse
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname McNamara are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Chocolate Chip Cookie.
There are approximately 9,225 people named McNamara in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,026th most common surname in Britain. Around 142 in a million people in Britain are named McNamara.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named McNamara
- Robert McNamara - American businessman and Secretary of Defense (1916 to 2009)
- Michelle McNamara - American writer (1970 to 2016)
- Jackie McNamara - Scottish football player and manager
- Katherine McNamara - American actress and singer
- Danny McNamara - Singer-songwriter
- Richard McNamara - Guitarist and songwriter
- Kevin McNamara - Politician, activist (1934 to 2017)
- Danny McNamara - Association football player
- Steve McNamara - Rugby league football player and coach
- Alex McNamara - Actor, vocalist and drummer
- Denis McNamara - Wrestler (1926 to 2009)
- Francis Knyvett McNamara - Cricketer (1912 to 1992)
- Dennis McNamara - Football player
- Karen McNamara - Australian politician
- John McNamara - Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1887 to 1918)
- Joseph McNamara - Canadian politician
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.