Jennings is a Hiberno-Norman name that became thoroughly Gaelicised among the families of Connacht.
Where does the Jennings name come from?
Jennings began as a patronymic from the personal name John — in effect “son of little John” — but in Ireland it took on a distinctive Gaelic form. It is the anglicisation of Mac Sheoinín, “son of little John,” a branch of the great Norman family of Burke who adopted the Gaelic style after settling in the west.
The Jennings of Connacht
As a sept of the Burkes, the Mac Sheoinín were established in County Mayo and the wider province of Connacht, where they became part of the Gaelic order. The name shows how completely many Norman families became “more Irish than the Irish themselves.” As a settled Connacht name, Jennings is found today across Ireland and among the diaspora in the United States, Canada, Australia and Britain.
For anyone wanting to mark the Jennings name at home, a Jennings woven blanket makes a fitting centerpiece, while a Jennings heritage mug or a Jennings garden flag works for everyday use.
For a single page showing everything we make for this surname, the Jennings Irish Family Gifts & Heritage collects every current Jennings design in one place and updates as new ones are added.
Did you know?
- Jennings began as a patronymic meaning “son of little John.”
- In Ireland it anglicises the Gaelic Mac Sheoinín.
- The family was a branch of the Norman Burkes.
- They settled in County Mayo and Connacht.
- The name survives today in Ireland and across the diaspora.
Related Irish family names
You may also like Jones, Johnson, and Barry.
Frequently asked questions
Is Jennings an Irish surname?
Yes — in Ireland Jennings is a Hiberno-Norman name, the anglicisation of Mac Sheoinín, a branch of the Burkes of Connacht.
What does Jennings mean?
It means “son of little John,” from the personal name John.
Is there a Jennings family crest?
Families of the name have heraldic traditions.