Hunt — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Ó Fiaich
Meaning: 'huntsman; used for Ó Fiaich'
Traditional stronghold: Limerick, Mayo
Pronunciation: HUNT; Irish Ó Fiaich: oh FEE-akh
History of the Hunt name
Hunt is an English occupational surname, 'huntsman', brought to Ireland by settlers from the medieval period onward, but many Irish Hunts descend instead from Gaelic families: by pseudo-translation the name was adopted for Ó Fiaich and related names in Connacht and Munster, their root fiach being taken for the word meaning 'hunt'. The name is therefore found both among old English stock in Leinster and among native families in Mayo and Limerick. In the twentieth century John and Gertrude Hunt, antiquarians and collectors, assembled one of Ireland's finest holdings of medieval art, now displayed as the Hunt Museum in Limerick's old Custom House.
Variants: Fee
Famous bearers of the name
- John Hunt — Antiquarian and medievalist whose collection founded the Hunt Museum in Limerick.
- Fionnuala Hunt — Violinist and former leader of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.
Related names from the same part of Ireland: O'Brien · Ryan · Walsh · Burke · Collins · Fitzgerald · Hayes · Sheehan