Scotch-Irish-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: Re: [Scotch-Irish] Scotch-Irish Adams
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2001 19:41:06 -0700

Hi Wayne,

>I am wondering if there have been, or still are, many Adams of Scottish origin in Ireland? If so, in what areas did/do they reside? Is anyone familiar with any Scots-Irish Adams?

According to Bell "Book of Ulster Surnames" Adams is much commoner
in Ulster than elsewhere in Ireland, especially Antrim and Derry.
It can be Scottish or Irish in origin.

Because it originated as a first name, there are many sons of
Adam both in Scotland and Ireland. In Scotland he tells us you
had 2 septs of Clan Gordon of this name, Clan Ferguson had them
(as McAidies, a variant), Adamsons were septs of Shaw and Mackintosh,
and MacAdams a sept of the MacGregors.

Adams is the anglicization of 3 different Irish names. In the
Roslea-Clones area of Fermanagh/Monaghan it was O Cadain. In
Armagh it was Mac Cadain, in Cavan it can be Mac Adhaimh. Not
all Adams in these areas are Irish. There's a Co Cavan Scottish
family named Adam that first settled in Co Down and married into
the Magennisses. In Scotland it is common as ADAM but in Ulster
is invariably ADAMS he says.

Up till at least 1900 it was used interchangably with
Aidy in Downpatrick and Eadie around Dromore too.

Linda Merle

This thread:

• [Scotch-Irish] Scotch-Irish Adams by "Wayne Adams" <>
  • Re: [Scotch-Irish] Scotch-Irish Adams by "jerry watkins" <>

  • Re: [Scotch-Irish] Scotch-Irish Adams by <>