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How are patronymics formed in Irish?

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The Irish Mac, meaning "son," and ua, meaning "grandson," were attached to family and clan names as Mac, Mc, or M' and O' (see O ), respectively. The O' was apparently not used in Scotland. The Welsh, in translating their patronymic ( ap =son of) settled on English forms ending in s, hence Welsh names such as Davis (from David) and Jones (from John). In Icelandic the surname is patronymic, and it changes from generation to generation. French de, when written separately, like German von, is deemed to mark a noble name ...

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Similar questions: Which surname prefixes were used to denote nobility in Europe? How are patronymics formed in Welsh? How are patronymics formed in Icelandic? [ Hide these questions ]

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