This family has been established in Ireland for over 2,000 years[1] well before the advent of surnames. The focus of the project is to identify the different family lines and determine how they all connect back to their ancient progenitor.

[1] Fitzpatrick, Ian. (2019) FTDNA Fitzpatrick Project. E-mail to Wendy Cosby, 12 December, 08:15.

O’Hallinan, Hallinan, Hallanan, Halnan.[1]

[1] Woulfe, Patrick. (1922) Irish names and Surnames. p. 102. Dublin: M.H. Gill & Son. https://archive.org/details/irishnamessurnam00woul/page/62/mode/2up?q=closkey : accessed 17 July 2020.[1]

Irish:

• from Ó hÁilgheanáin ‘descendant of Áilgheanán’, pet form of a personal name based on Celtic elements meaning ‘mild’ or ‘noble’[1].
• (O) Hallinan. Ó hÁilgheanáin (perhaps ailghean, noble offspring). This name is seldom met outside Munster. It is on record in Cos. Waterford, Tipperary and Limerick in very early records. In modern times it has to some extent been absorbed by Hanlon and Allen. MIF 133.[2]

[1] Hanks, P., Coates, R., & McClure, P. (2016) Hallinan In: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199677764.001.0001/acref-9780199677764-e-17843 : accessed 03 February 2020.

[2] MacLysaght, Edward. (1985) The Surnames of Ireland. 6^th ed. Dublin: Irish Academic Press Ltd. p. 143.

Early bearers:

• Loghlen O’Hallinan (fitz John), 1567[1] in Fiants Elizabeth §1075;
• Cormock Allen alias Cormock og O’Hallynan, 1573 in Fiants Elizabeth §2272;
• Richard O’Hallynan, 1573 in Fiants Elizabeth §2284;
• Donoghe beg O’Hallenan, 1578 in Fiants Elizabeth §3364;
• Brien O’Helenan, husbandman, 1584 in Fiants Elizabeth §4567 (Benemully);
• Owen McCormock I Hallinan, 1600–1 in Fiants Elizabeth §6466;
• Shane O’Hullian (McWilliam), 1601 in Fiants Elizabeth §6524.

[1]    Nicholls, K., ed. (1994) The Irish Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns during the Reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Philip and Mary, and Elizabeth I, Volumes 2–3: Elizabeth. Dublin: Edmund Burke.

The link to our DNA project is here.

The presence of Y-DNA marker BY9001 links this family to a male in Ireland almost 2,000 years ago (ca. 100-880 CE), a member of the Bréifne Irish clan.[1]  The ancient territory of Breffny (Breifne) was located in what are now the current counties of Cavan and west Leitrim.

If you have tested with companies other than Family Tree, you can transfer a copy of your atDNA (autosomal) results into Family Tree for free which you can then link to our project. Autosomal (atDNA) and mitochondrial (mtDNA) test results are welcome but please know the main objective is to use Y-DNA to determine common male-line ancestry back to a progenitor of the surname and to construct a history of the surname.

If you need to order a test, you can purchase a test through the Guild who offer year round savings. Order your kit: here.

[1] Fitzpatrick, Ian. (2019) FTDNA Fitzpatrick Project. E-mail to Wendy Cosby, 12 December, 08:15.