O'GORMAN members around the world

O'GORMAN Family History

This interesting surname has two distinct possible origins one English, the other Irish. From England the surname is believed to be a patronymic of the pre Middle English male given name 'Gormund', itself deriving from the Old English pre 7th Century "Garmund". This was composed of the elements "gar", meaning a spear and "mund", meaning protection. This type of compound was very popular in England in those early times. The second origin is Irish, and to have originated as Mac Gormain, which translates as 'The son of the son of Blue'. Quite why anybody should be called 'blue' is unclear, unless it be a reference to the wearing of wode, which was blue...