Kavanagh (surname) Kavanagh (surname) Kavanagh or Kavanaugh is a surname of Irish origin, Caomhánach in Irish Gaelic. It is properly "Mac Murchadha Caomhánach" (an example of an Irish agnomen; see "Ó Catharnaigh Sionnach" or Fox of Fir Teathbha), but is often now rendered 'Caomhánach' or rarely 'Ó Caomhánaigh'. "Kavanagh" and "Kavanaugh" are anglicised variations of the Irish Gaelic surname Caomhánach (Cʌoṁʌ̃nʌċ in traditional Gaelic script). The surname was first assumed by Domhnall Caomhánach (the eldest son of the 12th century King of Leinster, Diarmait Mac Murchada) in Ireland. A considerable number of anglicised variations of Caomhánach exist, with some of the most
Mac and Mc together A 2007 book in its tenth edition states that "most library catalogs" sort Mac and Mc names as if spelled M-a-c. Among the guides which generally recommend separating Mac and Mc so that names will be sorted as they are spelled are ISO 999, The Chicago Manual of Style, "Butcher's Copy-editing: The Cambridge Handbook for Editors, Copy-editors and Proofreaders", "The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage", and "The SBL Handbook of Style". Mac and Mc together A convention of sorting names with the Scottish and Irish patronymic prefixes Mac and Mc together persists in library science and archival