Origins of the surnames Lackey and Lyons

Origins of the surnames Lackey and Lyons

HISTORY OF THE SURNAME LACKEY

The name, LACKEY, has many variations in spelling, particularly in transferring the name into and out of Gaelic. The surname was sometimes spelt LACKEY, LACKIE, LAHIE, LACHEY, LAKEY, and LAKIE, and these changes of spelling occurred, even between father and son. It was not uncommon for a clansman in his own lifetime to be born with one spelling, marry with another, and yet another to appear on his headstone. Sometimes a different spelling was used to claim a religious or clan affiliation, or even a division in the family.

The Dalriadans are considered one of the founding races of Scotland. This race was descended from the early Irish Kings, specifically King Colla da Crioch, who was banished from Ireland in 327 A.D., along with 350 clan chiefs who settled in the Western Isles. Even now, certain Scottish highland clans are still called the “Children of Colla”. Descended from this monarch, through Fergus Mor MacEarcha, was the great King Somerled, King of Man and the Isles, the scion of the McDonalds, MacDougalls and many others. Kenneth MacAlpine, first King of Scotland, Alba or Caledonia as it was then known, was half Daliadan, half Pict.

The surname Lackey emerged as a Scottish Clan or family in the Irish Counties of Donegal and Derry. They settled in those counties about 1620, although they were originally from Argyllshire and their name was originally Mac Gregor. These were the remnants of the outlawed Macgregor Clan which had become at odds with the crown of Scotland. They settled in Ireland and still were banned from using the name Macgregor. Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Lackey of county Donegal.

HISTORY OF THE SURNAME LYONS

Lyons is one of the commonest surnames in Ireland, particularly in the three southern provinces. In Ulster especially it may be a variant of the English and Scottish surname “Lyon”, which can derive, as a nickname, from “lion”, from the first name Leo or Leon, or from the place name Lyon-la-Foret in Normandy. Elsewhere, however, Lyons is virtually always the anglicized version of one of two Irish names, O’Laighin, from “laighean”, meaning “spear”, or O’Liathain, possibly from “liath” meaning “grey”. O’Laighin originated in two areas, in Co. Kerry and in east Co. Galway, where the family’s territory was centered on Kitconnell. In Kerry, however, the name was almost invariably anglicized as “Lyne” The O’Liathain family are reputed to have originated in Co. Limerick, but are now to be found much more frequently in Co. Cork, particularly in the north of the county, where the village of Castlelyons records their presence. O’Liathain has also been anglicised as “Lehane”

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