Etymograph

English

McGovern

McGovern comes from Scottish Gaelic Mac Samhradháin ‘son of Samhradhán’, from samhradh ‘summer’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sm̥-h₂-ó-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sm̥-h₂-ó-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*samos‘summer’reconstructed
  3. Old Irishc. 600–900samrad‘summer’
  4. Scottish Gaelicmodernsamhradh‘summer’
  5. Scottish Gaelic, derivedmodernMac Samhradháin‘son of Samhradhán’diminutive of samhradh
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1907McGovern

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sm̥-h₂-ó-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*samos‘summer’reconstructed
  3. Old Irishc. 600–900samrad‘summer’
  4. Scottish Gaelicmodernsamhradh‘summer’
  5. Scottish Gaelic, derivedmodernMac Samhradháin‘son of Samhradhán’diminutive of samhradh
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1907McGovern

Earliest quotation: 1907, Emerson Hough: “There stood old Mandy McGovern, her long brown rifle…”

The story

Anglicized form of Irish and Scottish Gaelic Mac Samhradháin (‘son of Samhradhán’), diminutive of samhradh (‘summer’).

Every English word from Proto-Indo-European *sm̥-h₂-ó-

Today it means

name A surname from Irish or Scottish Gaelic.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sm̥-h₂-ó- / McGovern

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