Gaelic sept

Dunne

Ó Doinn

Also: Dunn, O'Dunne

“descendant of Donn, 'the brown-haired' (or the god of the dead)”

🏔 Laois · Laois

The sept's historic heartland, highlighted. People moved — a name can be found far from home.

The story

Lords of Iregan in the Slieve Blooms, listed among the crown's 'chief rebels' for generations — their motto, mullach abú, 'the summit forever'.

Their world Around 1556 — The Tudor Conquest. Henry VIII takes the title 'King of Ireland' in 1541, and his children finish the work by sword, by plantation, and by the bargain called surrender and regrant.

See them on the atlas ↗

What the name is made of

Ó Doinn
Ó — descendant of (originally grandson of)
Doinn — the ancestor, trade or place the name is built on

Find this form in the Irish-to-English index → · What Ó and Mac actually mean

Is Dunne an Irish name?

Dunne is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here.

The five answers, and why it is rarely yes or no →

From Wikipedia — “Dunne”

Dunne or Dunn is an Irish surname, derived from the Irish Ó Duinn and Ó Doinn, meaning "dark" or "brown." The name Dunne in Ireland is derived from the Ó Duinn and the Ó Doinn Gaelic septs who were based in County Laois, County Meath and County Wicklow. These septs in turn are descendants of the O'Regan noble family. It is in these counties that the majority of descendants can still be found. Hundreds of years ago, the Gaelic name used by the Dunn family in Ireland was Ó Duinn or Ó Doinn.

Read the full article ↗ · Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Neighbours — other names from the same counties

Behan · Laois Brophy · Laois Delaney · Laois Dempsey · Laois Dooley · Laois Doran · Laois Dowling · Laois Duff · Laois Fitzpatrick · Laois Gorman · Laois Grace · Laois Lalor · Laois Moore · Laois Regan · Laois

Quick answers

Is Dunne an Irish name?

Dunne is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here. In Irish the name is Ó Doinn.

What does the surname Dunne mean?

Dunne (Irish: Ó Doinn) means “descendant of Donn, 'the brown-haired' (or the god of the dead)”. Origin: Gaelic sept.

Where in Ireland is the surname Dunne from?

The historic homeland of the Dunne name is Laois. People moved, so the name can be found far beyond it.

What is the Irish for Dunne?

Ó Doinn. Related spellings: Dunn, O'Dunne.

Looking for the Dunne family crest? Read this first — arms belong to people, not surnames, and the honest version is more interesting. Tracing Dunne ancestors? The step-by-step guide.

Not your spelling? Try the full A–Z. Know more about the Dunne name? Add to the story.