Lynch is a
surname
In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community.
Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...
of
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
and
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
origin.
English origin
In England, the surname is derived from the Norman-French ''de Lench'' and Kentish ''hlinc'' (meaning 'Hill').
A Lynch family originated at
Cranbrook in
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
(where William Lynch co-founded
Cranbrook School, Kent, in 1518) and from Tudor times were seated at "The Groves" in the village of
Staple
Staple may refer to:
*Staple food, a foodstuff that forms the basic constituent of a diet
*Staple (fastener), a small formed metal fastener
**Surgical staple
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Staple (band), a Christian post-hardcore band
** ''Stap ...
near
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour.
...
in Kent (the house was demolished in 1843 on the death of Lady Lynch). Their coat of arms consist of ''Three Lynxes Rampant'' and most of the family are buried at the Lynch Chancel in Staple parish church. Notable members of this family include:
* The Right Honourable Simon Lynch, Squire of "The Groves" at Staple and member of parliament for Sandwich (1495-1573)
*
Sir Thomas Lynch, Governor of British Jamaica
*
Dr John Lynch, Dean and Archdeacon of Canterbury Cathedral, and Squire of "The Groves" at Staple, who married a daughter of
William Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury,
*
Sir William Lynch, Squire of "The Groves" at Staple, diplomat, art collector and member of parliament for Canterbury
Irish origin
There are several different unrelated Irish families of which Lynch is the anglicized form, including:
* Ó Loingsigh, meaning "descendant of Loingseach" (having or belonging to a fleet of ships), which was anglicized as Lynchy, Lynskey and
Lindsey Lindsey may refer to :
Places Canada
* Lindsey Lake, Nova Scotia
England
* Parts of Lindsey, one of the historic Parts of Lincolnshire and an administrative county from 1889 to 1974
** East Lindsey, an administrative district in Lincolnshire, a ...
. According to early twentieth century genealogical authority, the Rev Patrick Wolfe, there were several different kindreds with this name in early medieval Ireland. One group were amongst the lords of the kingdom of
Dál Riata in north-eastern Ulster during the 11th century until they were displaced by the Normans. Other Ó Loingsigh families were to be found in Tipperary, Briefne (modern day Leitrim) and Thomond (present day Clare and Limerick). In West Cork, a group of Ó Loingsigh were a branch of the Corca Laoighe.
* Mac Loingsigh – Clynch, Lynch, Mac Glinchy,
MacClintock
McClintock is a surname of Scottish and Irish Gaelic origin deriving from an anglicization of a Gaelic name variously recorded as M'Ilandick, M'Illandag, M'Illandick, M'Lentick, McGellentak, Macilluntud, McClintoun, and Mac Illiuntaig from the ...
, McClinton
* Mac Loingseacháin – Lynchseanaun, Lynch
* de Lench, an Anglo-Norman name, which became one of the
Tribes of Galway. It is this wealthy landowning line that
Patrick Lynch, who moved to Argentina, was from.
See also
*
Cruithin
*
Kings of Dál nAraidi
The Kings of Dál nAraidi were rulers of one of the main kingdoms of Ulster and competed with the Dál Fiatach for the overlordship of Ulaid.
The dynasty resided at Ráith Mór, east of Antrim in the Mag Line area and emerged as the dominant group ...
*
Lynch leaders of Galway
References
Further reading
Genealogy from 17th century Spanish university mentioning Lynch links between Galway and Meath (page 15)
{{Authority control
Surnames
Occupational surnames
English-language surnames
Surnames of Irish origin
Irish royal families
Ulaid