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ArchivesRe: Lennon: Scottish, Irish, Jewish?
in reply to a message by agapeforce
I can't entirely deny the potential of a Jewish connection, because I couldn't definatively disprove it. That said I find it doubtful.
I will concur with this site's assertion that "Lennon" or "Lennan" as a given-name is typically derived from the surname, but the origin of that surname is much more broadly defined.
"Lennon" or "Lennan" is most commonly of Scottish stock. When so derived, the Scottish-Gaelic form is "Mac Ill Fhinnein" modernly, and traditionally rendered "Macgill'innein." This translates as the 'son of the devotee of St. Finian," as is seen more clearly in the Irish-Gaelic translation "Mac Giolla Fhinnéin." And this particular derivation is indeed found in Ireland as well, mostly by Hibernicized Scots I surmise, but possibly natively (this surname is more commonly made "MacAlinion," "MacAleenen" or even "Leonard" in Ireland).
Another similar Irish possibility is "Mac Giolla Adhamhnáin" meaning 'son of the devotee of St. Eunan' which is more common as anglicized "MacAlonan."
The other significant origins are the bespoke "Ó Leannáin" and the related "Ó Leannacháin." It is true, 'leannán' does mean 'lover' but this as a source of a surname, a patronymic, seems to me unlikely. The far more likely source of the name is 'leannán' from the Gaelic word 'leann,' meaning 'cloak' or 'mantle,' with the diminutive suffix '-án' added. The related surname "Ó Leannacháin" is also understood to be derived from 'leann' in the form of 'leannach' meaning 'cloaked' or 'mantled,' and while typically made "Lenihan or "Lenaghan" it was also abbrieviated to "Lennon" or "Lennan."
Now that I've laid out what I definately know, if you want to find out particulars for certain, you will have to go through the typical ancestry searches. This might be interesting, since in addition to immigration records, usually church records are the next best place to look. Catholics, Presbyterians, Episcopals, Jews and others all generally kept very good congregational, birth, death and marriage records, both in Europe and the New World. The answer to your question may be the easiest to discover.
I will concur with this site's assertion that "Lennon" or "Lennan" as a given-name is typically derived from the surname, but the origin of that surname is much more broadly defined.
"Lennon" or "Lennan" is most commonly of Scottish stock. When so derived, the Scottish-Gaelic form is "Mac Ill Fhinnein" modernly, and traditionally rendered "Macgill'innein." This translates as the 'son of the devotee of St. Finian," as is seen more clearly in the Irish-Gaelic translation "Mac Giolla Fhinnéin." And this particular derivation is indeed found in Ireland as well, mostly by Hibernicized Scots I surmise, but possibly natively (this surname is more commonly made "MacAlinion," "MacAleenen" or even "Leonard" in Ireland).
Another similar Irish possibility is "Mac Giolla Adhamhnáin" meaning 'son of the devotee of St. Eunan' which is more common as anglicized "MacAlonan."
The other significant origins are the bespoke "Ó Leannáin" and the related "Ó Leannacháin." It is true, 'leannán' does mean 'lover' but this as a source of a surname, a patronymic, seems to me unlikely. The far more likely source of the name is 'leannán' from the Gaelic word 'leann,' meaning 'cloak' or 'mantle,' with the diminutive suffix '-án' added. The related surname "Ó Leannacháin" is also understood to be derived from 'leann' in the form of 'leannach' meaning 'cloaked' or 'mantled,' and while typically made "Lenihan or "Lenaghan" it was also abbrieviated to "Lennon" or "Lennan."
Now that I've laid out what I definately know, if you want to find out particulars for certain, you will have to go through the typical ancestry searches. This might be interesting, since in addition to immigration records, usually church records are the next best place to look. Catholics, Presbyterians, Episcopals, Jews and others all generally kept very good congregational, birth, death and marriage records, both in Europe and the New World. The answer to your question may be the easiest to discover.
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