Etymograph

English

Gaffney

Gaffney comes from Irish Ó Gamhna ‘descendant of Gamhain’, from gamhain ‘calf’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰyem- ‘winter’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰyem-‘winter’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*gyemos‘winter’reconstructed
  3. Old Irishc. 600–900gam‘winter’
  4. Old Irish, derivedc. 600–900gamuin‘calf, yearling’
  5. Irishc. 1200–presentgamhain‘calf’
  6. Irish, derivedc. 1200–presentÓ Gamhna‘descendant of Gamhain’
  7. EnglishtodayGaffney

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰyem-‘winter’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*gyemos‘winter’reconstructed
  3. Old Irishc. 600–900gam‘winter’
  4. Old Irish, derivedc. 600–900gamuin‘calf, yearling’
  5. Irishc. 1200–presentgamhain‘calf’
  6. Irish, derivedc. 1200–presentÓ Gamhna‘descendant of Gamhain’
  7. EnglishtodayGaffney

The story

Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Gamhna (‘descendant of Gamhain’), a byname from gamhain (‘calf’).

Every English word from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰyem-

Today it means

name A surname from Irish.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰyem- / Gaffney

Shirt and support for this word