Territory:
The Sugrues, Shugrues and Sughrues et al traditionally trace their lineage to the Chieftain Eoghan, son of Oilioll Olum, third century King of Munster, from whom they derive their clan name Eoghanacht, or ‘the people of Eoghan’. The Patrimony of Eoghanacht eriginally encompassed much of western Munster, and the early ancestors of the Sugrues were particularly associated with Kerry and Cork where, in the latter middle-ages, they maintained seats at Dunloe and Fermoyle (until more recent years). There are some one thousand bearers of the surname in Ireland today, over ninety per cent of them in Kerry with the remainder in Cork and Dublin.
Meaning:
The Original Irish surname was ÓSiochfhradha, noting literally “son/grandson/descendant of Siochfhraidha, if a male, (and Ní Soichfhradha for a female descendant), an ancient personal name introduced into Ireland by the Norse Vikings in the form Sigfrith, meaning ‘Victory-Peace’. The sept has two unusual and unexplained historical names in local dialect; "Muintir na Sneachta" denoting ‘people of the snow’, and "Muintir na Smear" denoting ‘people of the "blackberry". |
