MANXDNA

Manx Family Names

If you are male and possess one of the following Manx family names*, and you know that your family comes from or originally came from the Isle of Man - then you are eligible to take part in this study.

Bell Boyde Brew Bridson Cain(e) Caley Callister Callow Cannell Cannon Carran Carine Casement Cashen/in Christian Clague Clarke Cleator Clucas Colquitt Collister Condra Comish Coole Corkill Corkish Corlett Cormode Corrin Corris Corteen Costain Cottier Cowell Cowin Cowle Cowley Craine Crebbin Creer Cregeen Crellin Crennell Cretney Cringle Crowe Cubbon Curphey Far(a)gher Fayle Gale Garrett Gawne Gell Gelling Gill Gorry Halsal(l) Hampton Hogg Joughin Kaighin Karran Kaye/Kee Kegg Keggin Keig Kell(e)y  Kennaugh Kennish/Kinnish Keown Kermeen Kermode Kerruish Kewin Kewley Killey Killip Kinley Kinrade Kinvig Kissack Kneal(e) Kneen Lace Leece Lewin Looney Maddrell Martin Moore Morrison Moughtin/ton Mylchreest Mylrea Nelson Oat(e)s Quaggan/in Qualtrough Quayle Quilliam Quine Quark Quirk Radcliffe Sayle Scarffe Shimmin Skillicorn Stephen Stowell Taggart Tear(e) Vondy Watterson, Wattleworth

The majority of these names are unique to the Isle of Man and their origins can be traced back to earlier Manx Gaelic forms usually starting in "Mac" or "Mc" - meaning in Gaelic "son of". 

So, for example, until around 1600, the name Creer was known as McCrere - and for some reason around this time, most of these Manx family names lost their prefix of "Mac" and contracted to the modern form of the name we see today.

There is a brief summary of the history of the Isle of Man here for anyone who is interested.

If you have any questions about this site please contact John A Creer.  Copyright John A Creer 2013