Discover your roots and map your Irish heritage! The Colorado Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) has created a custom Google Map designed to help you trace your ancestral lines back to the Emerald Isle. Whether your family hails from the rugged cliffs of Donegal, the vibrant streets of Dublin, or the rolling hills of Cork, this interactive map makes it easy to visualize and connect with your family’s home county. Take a look, explore the geography of your heritage, and find your piece of Ireland today!
How to Find Your County
- Open the Directory: Click the small white box in the top-left corner to open the surname list.
- Select Your Surname: Scroll the list until you find your last name.
- See Your Roots: Tap or click your name and the map will go to your family’s ancestral county pin and details!
Did we miss your name? Have we got something wrong? Contact us! We’d love to hear from you.
FAQs
I found my last name! Does that mean I’m Irish?
You might be! And finding your name here is a great start! But there’s more to do. Genealogy can be very complicated with lots of twists and turns. It’s important to research, find records, and aim for accuracy. This is just one tool that can help you. For example, maybe you always thought your last name was Irish, but you weren’t sure where to start. Well, now you have a county! See what else you can learn about yourself. It’s quite a journey!
I found my last name, but it’s spelled differently. Does that mean I’m not Irish?
No! You still might be Irish! Last name spelling can vary throughout Ireland and the US for several reasons. It could be that whoever processed your ancestor’s immigration recorded their last name phonetically, which would likely differ from what your family would have written. It could be that there was a family dispute over how the name was spelled, and the branch that moved to the US “corrected the problem”.
Whatever the reason, genealogy can be very complicated with lots of twists and turns. It’s important to research, find records, and aim for accuracy. This is just one tool that can help you. For example, maybe you always thought your last name was Irish, but you weren’t sure where to start. Well, now you have a county! See what else you can learn about yourself. It’s quite a journey!
I know my family is Irish, but I can’t find my last name. Why can’t I find my last name?
We may have overlooked your last name. We’re sorry! We are not genealogical experts. The Ancient Order of Hibernians is an Irish Catholic organization sharing our values of friendship, unity, and Christian charity. We’re bound to make mistakes. Contact us and tell us more!
You have the wrong county listed for my family. I know they’re from this county, and you listed them for a different county.
You may be right! We are not genealogical experts. The Ancient Order of Hibernians is an Irish Catholic organization focusing on friendship, unity, and Christian charity. We’re bound to make mistakes. Contact us and tell us what we missed!
I found my last name, but I’m adopted. Does that mean I’m not Irish?
Not at all! While you should still do the genealogical research to see if your adopted family is Irish, your adopted family is still your family. Most societies that require Irish heritage to join recognize adopted heritage as no different than biological heritage. This includes AOH and LAOH (hint hint).
What does the prefix “Mac/Mc” mean in Irish?
The word “Mac” means “Son” in Irish. If your last name starts with “Mac” or “Mc”, it simply means “Son of”. For example, MacMahon means “Son of Mahon”.
What does the prefix “O’” mean in Irish?
In the context of last names, “O’” simply means “Descended from”. “Ó” means “from” in Irish (sometimes context changes that) and is used to show someone might not be the son of someone, but descended from that family. For example, “O’Driscoll” means “Descended from Driscoll”.
I see my last name but it has “O’”/“Mac”/“Mc” in front of it, and mine doesn’t. Is it still the same family?
Very likely! When the Irish immigrated to the United States during the Great Hunger, they were not well received by the descendants of other European immigrants. To avoid harassment and other issues Irish immigrants faced, some of them dropped the “O’”, “Mac” or “Mc” in front of their names. For example, someone named “O’Roark” might have changed it to “Roark” for an easier life. There is also a chance this was modified before leaving Ireland.
What does Connacht/Leinster/Munster/Ulster mean?
Ireland is broken up into four provinces. Ulster in the North, Leinster in the East, Connacht in the West, and Munster in the South. These provinces are rich in history and culture, making it difficult to summarize them in a paragraph. A simplified way to think about them is an old kingdom in Ireland, which is used for regional context these days.
My family is from a county in Ulster. Does that mean they’re from Northern Ireland?
Not necessarily! Co. Cavan, Co. Donegal, and Co. Monaghan are all in Ulster but not in Northern Ireland. It’s also important to remember Northern Ireland has more to do with politics than culture. The people living in Northern Ireland are still Irish!
I thought my family was from King’s County. Where is it?
It’s Co. Offaly! In 1556, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, King Philip II of Spain, husband of Queen Mary I of England, enacted an act that changed the name of County Offaly to King’s County. Although the official name was changed back to Offaly in 1922 after Ireland gained independence, references to “King’s County” can still be found.
I thought my family was from Queen’s County. Where is it?
It’s Co. Laois! Similar to Offaly, the name was originally Co. Laois, changed in 1556, and changed back to Laois in 1922 after Irish independence. However, some instances of “Queen’s County” can still be found.