Martyn, variant of

Martin Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austr ...

, is a surname of

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

origin. In Scotland, Martyn is a sept of

Clan Cameron Clan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber and within their lands lies Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The Chie ...

in the

West Highlands The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland ...

. In Ireland, it is one of the

Tribes of Galway The Tribes of Galway ( ga, Treibheanna na Gaillimhe) were 14 merchant families who dominated the political, commercial and social life of the city of Galway in western Ireland between the mid-13th and late 19th centuries. They were the families ...

Family history

The Martyn family were one of a group of fourteen families who became the premier merchant and political families in the town of

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...

during the late medieval and early modern eras. They traded with Scotland, England, Wales, France, Spain, and Portugal. Many were dispossessed by the Irish Confederate Wars and the subsequent Cromwellian conquest. The family have cadet branches in the U.K., Canada, USA, France, Hungary, and several other countries. There is a worldwide internet based society for people with the family name Martin and Martyn.

Notable Martyns of Galway

* Wylliam Martin (fl. 1519), builder of the

Spanish Arch Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

Thomas Óge Martyn Thomas Óge Martyn, Mayor of Galway, fl. 1533-c. 1577. Early life Martyn was a merchant of Galway and a member of the Martyn (surname), Martyn family, one of the Tribes of Galway. He was the son of former Mayor of Galway, Wylliam Martin. West ...

(fl. 1533–1577), builder of Galway's West Bridge *

William Óge Martyn William Óge Martyn ( fl. 1566–1592) was the 101st Mayor of Galway. Early life Also known as William Óge Martyn fitz Thomas, he was a son of Thomas Óge Martyn and Evelina Lynch of Galway. Bailiff of Galway in 1566 to 1567, he was kidnapped ...

(fl. 1566–1593), notorious

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

and Mayor of Galway *

Richard Óge Martyn Richard Óge Martyn (c. 1602 – 1648) was a Galway lawyer and member of the Catholic Confederates of Ireland. He was of the senior line of the Martyn family, one of the Tribes of Galway. He lived at Dunguaire Castle, Kinvarra. He worked wit ...

(1602–1648), lawyer and Irish Confederate leader * Francis Martin (1652–1714), theologian * Richard Martin (1754–1834), member of

Irish Volunteers The Irish Volunteers ( ga, Óglaigh na hÉireann), sometimes called the Irish Volunteer Force or Irish Volunteer Army, was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists and republicans. It was ostensibly formed in respon ...

, supporter of

Catholic Emancipation Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, and later the combined United Kingdom in the late 18th century and early 19th century, that involved reducing and removing many of the restricti ...

, and founder of the

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is a charity operating in England and Wales that promotes animal welfare. The RSPCA is funded primarily by voluntary donations. Founded in 1824, it is the oldest and largest a ...

* Peter Martyn (1772–1827), soldier *

Andrew H. Martyn Rev Andrew Martyn (1785–1847) was an Irish Roman Catholic priest and activist. He was a staunch supporter of the Repeal Association. Biography Andrew H. Martyn was born in Eyre Square in 1785, the son of Henry Martyn (formerly of Breaffy, Cast ...

(1784–1847), parish priest who died during the Great Famine *

Thomas B. Martin Thomas Barnwall Martin (1784 – April 1847) was an Irish landowner and politician. Martin was the eldest surviving son of Richard Martin, humanitarian and Member of Parliament for Galway County, by his first wife Elizabeth Vesey. Following ...

(1786–1847), Member of Parliament and landlord who died saving his tenants during the Great Famine *

Mary Letitia Martin Mary Letitia Martin (1815–1850) was an Irish writer who was known as the "Princess of Connemara". Educated at home in the upper-class style, she was fluent in numerous languages. She published two books in her lifetime, and a third was published ...

(1815–1850), novelist *

Edward Martyn Edward Martyn (30 January 1859 – 5 December 1923) was an Irish playwright and early republican political and cultural activist, as the first president of Sinn Féin from 1905–08. Early life Martyn was the elder son of John Martyn of Tullira ...

(1859–1923), arts patron and political activist; co-founded

Abbey Theatre The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the p ...

Violet Florence Martin Violet Florence Martin (11 June 1862 – 21 December 1915) was an Irish author who co-wrote a series of novels with cousin Edith Somerville under the pen name of Martin Ross ( Somerville and Ross) in the late nineteenth and early twentieth ce ...

(1862–1915), novelist and short-story writer *

Ferenc Martyn Ferenc Martyn (1899 – 1986) was an artist and sculptor, Hungarian-born descendant of the Martyn tribe of County Galway, descended from the same branch of the Tribe as Edward Martyn of Tullira (1859 – 1923). His great-grandfather and brothe ...

(1899–1986), Hungarian artist and sculptor descended from the Martyns of Galway.

Martyns outside Ireland

The surname Martyn is common in the West of England, particularly in Devon and Cornwall, where the name spelling could be Martyn, Martin or Marten. In 1543 John Martyn, John Martyn and Joan Martyn are listed with reference to Davidstow (Dewstow) in the "Cornwall Subsidies in the reign of Henry Vlll". In the 1569 Muster Roll John Marten and William Marten are mentioned for Davidstow. In the Register for St Stephens by Launceston the baptisms are given for two sons of Richard Martin of Dewstowe – Nicholas Martin 24 May 1584 and John Marten 21 November 1586. Dated 27 July 1646 is a Davidstow Administration for John Marten the Elder, late of Davidstow and it is possible that this is the John baptised at St Stephens in 1586."From Davidstow (Dewstow), North Cornwall: A Martyn, Martin, Marten Family and its Descent" by Michael Martyn published in the Cornwall Family History Society Journal, June 1992 Issue.

Notable people from outside Ireland with the surname Martyn

John Martyn (publisher) John Martyn, or Martin (died in 1680), was a prominent London publisher and bookseller in the second half of the 17th century. Martyn started in business in 1649, in partnership with John Ridley; their shop was at the sign of the Castle in Flee ...

(died 1680), London printer and publisher *

Henry Martyn Henry Martyn (18 February 1781 – 16 October 1812) was an Anglican priest and missionary to the peoples of India and Persia. Born in Truro, Cornwall, he was educated at Truro Grammar School and St John's College, Cambridge. A chance encount ...

(1781–1812), Anglican priest and missionary in India and Persia *

David Forbes Martyn David Forbes Martyn FAA FRS (27 June 1906 – 5 March 1970) was a Scottish-born Australian physicist and radiographer.R. W. Home,Martyn, David Forbes (1906–1970), ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'', National Centre of Biography, Austra ...

(1906–1970), Scottish-born Australian physicist

References

External links

Official genealogy site
accessed 10 February 2015.

Sources

* * * * * * * ** * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Martyn Irish families Political families of Ireland Surnames of Irish origin