Archdall is a distinguished name in the history of County Fermanagh, tied to a great house on the shores of Lough Erne and to one of Ireland’s notable antiquarian scholars.
Where does the Archdall name come from?
The family descends from John Archdale of Suffolk, who came to Ireland as an Undertaker in the Plantation of Ulster and was granted around a thousand acres in County Fermanagh in 1612. The original castle was built soon after, and the surname has been written variously as Archdale and Archdall down the centuries. The Fermanagh line went on to provide an unbroken run of Members of Parliament for the county across several generations.
Castle Archdale and Mervyn Archdall
The family seat, Castle Archdale, stands near Lough Erne, the later house built in the eighteenth century after the earlier castle was destroyed in the wars of the 1600s. The name is also carried by the Reverend Mervyn Archdall (1723–1791), the antiquary whose Monasticon Hibernicum set out to record the monasteries and religious houses of ancient Ireland — a lasting contribution to Irish historical scholarship.
Related Irish family names
If your roots run through Ulster, you may also recognise Acheson, Annesley, and Ancketill.
The family crest and tartan artwork shown on our Archdall products is decorative work inspired by Irish heraldic tradition, offered to celebrate the name rather than as a claim to any individual’s right to arms.
Carry the Archdall name with you
We craft heritage gifts for thousands of Irish and Scottish family names — mugs, woven blankets, ornaments and more. To find yours, type it into the search bar at the top of the page, or browse the Archdall collection here.