Considine — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Mac Consaidin
Meaning: 'son of Considine', likely from a Norman personal name absorbed into Gaelic usage
Traditional stronghold: Clare
Pronunciation: KON-sih-dyne; Irish Mac Consaidin: mahk kun-SAH-din
History of the Considine name
Mac Consaidin is a distinctively Clare surname, thought to derive ultimately from a Norman personal name that was adopted into Gaelic naming practice and given the Mac Con- prefix pattern common in Munster and Connacht. The family became part of the wider Dalcassian network associated with the O'Briens, holding a settled position in Clare through the medieval and early modern periods without achieving major lordship. The surname remained tightly concentrated in Clare through into the modern era, more so than many other Munster names which dispersed further afield within Ireland, though it did spread abroad with 19th- and 20th-century emigration, notably to the United States, where it remains a recognisable Clare-associated name.
Variants: MacConsidine · Considene
Famous bearers of the name
- John Considine — American actor from a prominent Irish-American theatrical family
- Terry Considine — American politician of Irish descent
- Fachtna O Drisceoil — not related; genuine bearer: Michael Considine, Clare fiddle maker and folk figure
- Cyril Considine — Irish sportsperson
Related names from the same part of Ireland: O'Brien · Kennedy · Quinn · McDonnell · McMahon · Boland · Keane · Hogan