Daniel
An Irish surname of Dublin and Tipperary. In the 2010 US census it was carried by 80,526 people, the 396th most common surname in the country.
Ó Domhnaill. This family stood in the barony of Idrone in Co. Carlow, Co. Armagh, Co. Galway, Co. Limerick, and Co. Tipperary.
Where the name comes from
Daniel here is Domhnall, world-mighty, one of the oldest and commonest Irish personal names. Ó Domhnaill of Tirconaill descends from Conall Gulban, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, and for four centuries was one of the most powerful families in Ireland.
Their original patrimony (the land a family held by inheritance) was Cinel Luighdheach, a mountainous district between the Swilly and the Dobhar, and they became the ruling family in Tirconnell only after the O'Muldorys and O'Canannains declined. They take the surname from Domhnall, grandson of Dalach, who died in 868 and gave them their clan-name of Clann Dalaigh.
The most celebrated of all was Red Hugh O'Donnell, who so often led his clan to victory in the closing years of the reign of Elizabeth. Many of the family were distinguished military commanders in the service of continental powers, and Leopold O'Donnell became prime minister of Spain and Duke of Tetuan.
Other families of the name were lords of Corcabaskin in West Clare, descended from a Domhnall slain at the battle of Clontarf in 1014; chiefs of Clann Flaitheamhail in Ui Maine; and lords of Ui Drona, now the barony (an old land division, several parishes across) of Idrone in Carlow.
The Daniel counties, photographed
Dublin
Dublin is a county as well as a city. The bay has Howth at the north end and Killiney Hill at the south, the Muglins are a pair of rocks off Dalkey, and the Dublin Mountains start about half an hour from the city centre.
Tipperary
Tipperary is landlocked. The Golden Vale running through it is the best dairy land in Ireland. The Galtees are along the southern border, with Galtymore at 917 metres. The Rock of Cashel is a limestone outcrop with a medieval cathedral and round tower on top of it.
All Dublin prints · All Tipperary prints
About this page
The counties on this page are where the name was thickest on the ground in Ireland a century and a half ago, not a claim about any one family. Names moved around inside the country as much as they left it. The photographs are mine, made in the counties named.
More Irish surnames: Johnson · Collins · Murphy · Howard · Coleman · Hayes · Mason · Palmer · Warren · Ryan · Lane · Franklin
How common the name was
In 1890, 17 births were registered under Daniel in Ireland, most of them in Dublin, Tipperary, and Waterford.
| Munster | 10 | 59% |
|---|---|---|
| Leinster | 5 | 29% |
| Connacht | 1 | 6% |
| Ulster | 1 | 6% |
| Ireland | 17 |
Waterford is the one I haven't worked in.