Nevin — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Mac Naoimhin
Meaning: 'son of the little saint' (naomh, saint)
Traditional stronghold: Wicklow, Antrim
Pronunciation: NEV-in; Irish Mac Naoimhin: mok NEEV-in
History of the Nevin name
Nevin comes from Mac Naoimhin, a diminutive built on naomh, meaning saint, giving a sense of 'son of the little holy one'. The name arose in County Wicklow, with a separate concentration developing later in County Antrim in the north, giving Nevin two areas of historical strength at opposite ends of the country. In parts of Ulster the name has also mixed with the distinct surname Nevin derived from the Scottish and English place name Navan or similar toponymics carried over by planter families, so bearers may trace to either the older Gaelic Wicklow family or later Ulster settlement. The surname remains found in both regions today.
Variants: Nevins · MacNevin
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Byrne · Doyle · Quinn · McDonnell · Cullen · Cunningham · McGee · Campbell