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Mountain Surname Origins
Mountain Surname Origins
Ireland
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County Cork
The Mountains from Southwest County Cork appear to be descended from a branch of the McCarthy family who adopted the nickname "Mountain" to distinguish themselves from the many other branches of the McCarty family in the area. This subgroup is probably descended from a group that was known as the McCarthys of Túath Móintín who held most of the parish of Kilmaloda (near Timoleague). The old Irish word Túath is usually translated as people, tribe, or nation but it applies to both the people who shared a territory and the territory itself. Móintín means small bog or moor. The Túath Móintín castle was known as Monteen Castle and was built in 1346. It was burned in April, 1600 during the 9 years war by Captain Flower.
When Donnell O'Donovan of Castle Donovan was pardoned (14 May 1601) after the defeat of the Irish by the English, several of his followers were listed with the surname "Carty (or Cartie) of the Montyne"
According to Tim Cadogan (Surnames of County Cork) Mountain was also used as a nickname by the O'Donovans.
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County Fermanagh
DNA evidence suggests that the Mountains from County Fermanagh may be descended from a branch of the Slevin or Slavin family. The Slevin surname is derived from "O'Sleibhin", descendant of the son (ain) of Sleibh, the latter being Gaelic for a mountain. There are records of a Slavin family in neighboring County Monaghan who were sometimes recorded as (Mountain) Slavin.
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County Kerry
The Mountains from County Kerry appear to be descended from a branch of the O'Sullivan/Sullivans who adopted the nickname "Mountain" to distinguish themselves from the many other branches of the Sullivan Family. Sullivan-Mountains are mostly found in and around the village of Sneem.
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County Waterford
According to Edward MacLysacht ("The Surnames of Ireland") the Irish surname Ó Mantáin has been transliterated to English as Mountain in Waterford. The "Dictionary of American Family Names" states that Ó Manntáin means ‘descendant of Manntán’, a personal name derived from a diminutive of manntach ‘toothless’.
The Irish name for Wicklow is Cill Mhantáin, comes from Killmantan Hill in the same town. The fifth-century saint whose church was said to have stood on the hill is reputed to have been a disciple of St. Patrick. His only appearance in the records is as the subject a rebuke from the national saint for having delayed sharing food with a group of beggars, as Patrick had requested. According to legend, St. Patrick is said to have attempted to land on Travailahawk beach, to the south of tWicklow harbour. Hostile locals attacked the landing party causing one of the Saint's party to lose his front teeth. Manntach (toothless one), as he became known was undeterred and returned to the town, eventually founding a church. Hence "Cill Mhantáin', meaning "Church of the toothless one". It's possible that the surname Ó Mantáin was applied to followers of this Mhantáin.
An alternative theory is that Mountain is the Anglicized version of the Norman surname de la Montaigne. In 1137, Diarmuid MacMorrough, King of Leinster, failed in an attempt to take Waterford. He returned in 1170 with Norman mercenaries under Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (Strongbow); together they besieged and took Waterford after a desperate defense.
England
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In England, the surname Mountain is most likely derived from the French "de la Montaigne. " According to the Internet Surname Database, the name arrived in the British Isles at least twice, the first with the Norman Invasion and the second with the arrival of the Huguenot refugees after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685.
Last updated: 16 Nov 2008
Project Manager: Dave Mountain <d-mountain @ comcast.net>