Neff Family in Ireland

CRANN CLAINNE

Neff , Kennedy , McAuliffe , Forde , Sheehan

An Introduction

This page is dedicated to maintaining communication within a growing family, to providing historical information to our new family members, and also to becoming a focal point for old and new family information.

Is mise Éibhear Neff agus tá mo sheoladh ar fáil ar an leathanach FÁILTE.

I am Éibhear Neff and you will find my address and contact information on the Fáilte (HOME) page.

It is hoped that other researchers will contribute so that we can all share our research and resources as it is only by the process of elimination that we will unravel all the connections of our family. I have collected a large amount of data from many recorded and other written sources as well as interviews with relatives.

I will try to add to this page from the information I and my wife Marion have collected. My thanks go firstly to relatives for aiding my collection - my sister Zoë, cousins Lelia, John, Vincent, Benny, Kate, and many others.

It might be interesting for Neffs in the USA, if their Neff is believed to be of Irish origin, to consider this possibility: As we know many immigrants to the U.S. had their names changed accidentally by census takers and immigration officials who either couldn’t spell the name or couldn’t understand the immigrants. In this context there is a rare Kilkenny name “Denieffe” (not originally Irish) that was sometimes abbreviated to “Neef”. There is an Irish name “Mac Conduibh” (meaning *son of - black hound) and it is anglicized - “Cunniff, Conneff, Coneffe, Kinniff, MacNiff, Mac Neive, Mac Nieve” so it could easily be made Neff in the States, especially as sometimes the ‘Mac’ may be dropped from the name. I have also come across the name Neffe which may also be from the above examples.

I will expand on the Irish name “Mac Conduibh” as it will serve to illustrate (for those who may be interested) the very many variations an original Irish or Gaelic form is given when anglicised and how severely corrupted it looks. “Mac Conduibh” (Mac= son of; Con= “Cú” hound; Duibh= “dubh” black). Carrying on from the above forms add Caddo, MacAdoo, MacEndoo. It is a Connacht and west Ulster name. Connacht and Ulster are the names of provinces and contain a number of counties. The variations occur when a foreign ear listens to varying Irish accents pronouncing the same word.

In Co. Cork (province of Munster) there is another Irish name Ó Ceannduibh (Ó= descended from; Ceann= head; Duibh= “Dubh” black) and again anglicised forms confuse the name.

I am firstly concerned with the Neff name as brought to Cork, Ireland by John (Johann or Hans) Neff about 1864, a German watchmaker, my great grandfather. Any Neff in Ireland today is related back to this John Neff.

However, I have found a Rev. Neff in Cork. My sister Zoë found a John Neff marry a Miss Noonan in 1777 in Cork. An internet search of mine revealed : Ivel? Neff 26m Laborer Ireland (living with 32 stone cutters) 1850 Botetourt Co. VA; Isabell Neff 35f born Ireland (Salt Rock OH); Isabella Neff 47f Ireland (Scioto Co. OH). Also, a death certificate for an Ellen Neff 3/11/1908 Tullaroe, Kilkee, Kilrush, Co. Clare.

Origins of the name Neff: the name would have had its beginnings in the name NÄF which in turn is quite likely to have began in 13th century Switzerland as Nevo or Neffe, meaning nephew, and most likely comes from the French word “neveu”.

Broad outline of the Neff family tree in Ireland :

00/ John Neff — 1871 — Kennedy

01/ 1st generation Irish

Male marriages: McAuliffe, Cullinane

Female marriages: Heffernan, Staunton, Hendy

02/ 2nd generation Irish

Male marriages: Willis, Forde, Collins, O Leary, Griffin

Female marriages: O Brien, O Connor

03/ 3rd generation Irish

Male marriages: Glynnis, Dennehy, Crowley, Long, Sheehan, Haines, Amrein, Doherty, Varian, Browne, Lane, Roberts, Jameson, Meldrom

Female marriages: Dalton, Goldstein, Müller, Burke, Grayson, Morrissey, McCarthy, Stanley

The Neff and maternal line to myself

John Neff — 1871 — Mary Kennedy (my great grand parents)

James Neff — 1889 — Mary McAuliffe (my grand parents)

Florence Neff — 1939 — Mary Forde (my parents)

Éibhear Neff — 1974 — Marion Sheehan



			CRANN CLAINNE Neff , Kennedy , McAuliffe , Forde , Sheehan An Introduction This page is dedicated to maintaining communication within a growing family, to providing historical information to our new family members, and also to becoming a focal point for old and new family information. Is mise Éibhear Neff agus tá mo sheoladh ar fáil ar an leathanach FÁILTE. I am Éibhear Neff and you will find my address and contact information on the Fáilte (HOME) page. It is hoped that other researchers will contribute so that we can all share our research and resources as it is only by the process of elimination that we will unravel all the connections of our family. I have collected a large amount of data from many recorded and other written sources as well as interviews with relatives. I will try to add to this page from the information I and my wife Marion have collected. My thanks go firstly to relatives for aiding my collection - my sister Zoë, cousins Lelia, John, Vincent, Benny, Kate, and many others. It might be interesting for Neffs in the USA, if their Neff is believed to be of Irish origin, to consider this possibility: As we know many immigrants to the U.S. had their names changed accidentally by census takers and immigration officials who either couldn’t spell the name or couldn’t understand the immigrants. In this context there is a rare Kilkenny name “Denieffe” (not originally Irish) that was sometimes abbreviated to “Neef”. There is an Irish name “Mac Conduibh” (meaning *son of - black hound) and it is anglicized - “Cunniff, Conneff, Coneffe, Kinniff, MacNiff, Mac Neive, Mac Nieve” so it could easily be made Neff in the States, especially as sometimes the ‘Mac’ may be dropped from the name. I have also come across the name Neffe which may also be from the above examples. I will expand on the Irish name “Mac Conduibh” as it will serve to illustrate (for those who may be interested) the very many variations an original Irish or Gaelic form is given when anglicised and how severely corrupted it looks. “Mac Conduibh” (Mac= son of; Con= “Cú” hound; Duibh= “dubh” black). Carrying on from the above forms add Caddo, MacAdoo, MacEndoo. It is a Connacht and west Ulster name. Connacht and Ulster are the names of provinces and contain a number of counties. The variations occur when a foreign ear listens to varying Irish accents pronouncing the same word. In Co. Cork (province of Munster) there is another Irish name Ó Ceannduibh (Ó= descended from; Ceann= head; Duibh= “Dubh” black) and again anglicised forms confuse the name. I am firstly concerned with the Neff name as brought to Cork, Ireland by John (Johann or Hans) Neff about 1864, a German watchmaker, my great grandfather. Any Neff in Ireland today is related back to this John Neff. However, I have found a Rev. Neff in Cork. My sister Zoë found a John Neff marry a Miss Noonan in 1777 in Cork. An internet search of mine revealed : Ivel? Neff 26m Laborer Ireland (living with 32 stone cutters) 1850 Botetourt Co. VA; Isabell Neff 35f born Ireland (Salt Rock OH); Isabella Neff 47f Ireland (Scioto Co. OH). Also, a death certificate for an Ellen Neff 3/11/1908 Tullaroe, Kilkee, Kilrush, Co. Clare. Origins of the name Neff: the name would have had its beginnings in the name NÄF which in turn is quite likely to have began in 13th century Switzerland as Nevo or Neffe, meaning nephew, and most likely comes from the French word “neveu”. Broad outline of the Neff family tree in Ireland : 00/ John Neff — 1871 — Kennedy 01/ 1st generation Irish Male marriages: McAuliffe, Cullinane Female marriages: Heffernan, Staunton, Hendy 02/ 2nd generation Irish Male marriages: Willis, Forde, Collins, O Leary, Griffin Female marriages: O Brien, O Connor 03/ 3rd generation Irish Male marriages: Glynnis, Dennehy, Crowley, Long, Sheehan, Haines, Amrein, Doherty, Varian, Browne, Lane, Roberts, Jameson, Meldrom Female marriages: Dalton, Goldstein, Müller, Burke, Grayson, Morrissey, McCarthy, Stanley The Neff and maternal line to myself John Neff — 1871 — Mary Kennedy (my great grand parents) James Neff — 1889 — Mary McAuliffe (my grand parents) Florence Neff — 1939 — Mary Forde (my parents) Éibhear Neff — 1974 — Marion Sheehan
	- Fáilte (HOME) - A Family Tree INTRODUCTION JOHN NEFF NEFF KENNEDY McAULIFFE FORDE SHEEHAN - CONTACT VISIT A NEW NEFFBROS AT - www.neffbros.eu