Welcome to the Harnett yDNA surname project

This voluntary non-profit project is primarily a yDNA surname project that welcomes those men who bear the name Harnett or Hartnett or a variant that can be shown to be associated with those two predominant roots of the surname. Such variants also include Harnedy and Harney.

The Harnett/Hartnett family name is generally associated with the area from Abbeyfeale to Dromtrasna and Newcastle West in Co. Limerick.The name occurs frequently in the 16th Century Fiants, and is closer to the Gaelic ÓhAirtnéada.

Hartnett and its variants are reported by MacLysaght as ÓhAirtnéada. They have not budged from their original territory.The name is really old so its meaning isn't entirely clear. Woulfe is sure that the néad part means 'battle', apparently related to the ancient Irish god Nét / Néid summarized by some as a war-god. Airt is 'of Art' which could be 'of bear' or according to Woulfe 'of stone'. So he translates Artnéad as meaning either 'battle-bear' or 'battle-stone.' Either way, a very ancient warrior name with pagan associations.  (Mac Fhirbhisigh, Ballymote, Rawlinson B.502, etc.)

Although the majority of the families of the name in the area are called Harnett, it is frequently pronounced Hartnett. The Hartnett version of the name is commonly used outside the West Limerick region.

Various claims have been made for the origins of the family name.  Some suggestions heard at the inaugural Harnett gathering held in Abbeyfeale 20-22 July, 2012 were that the family:

• ·        Were an ancient sept from the South Irish that predate historical records

• ·        Were a Viking group who settled on the south bank of the river Shannon who were pushed to West Limerick by the encroachment ofthe O Brien sept 

  and

• ·        Were an English family from Sandwich in Kent who accompanied St. Leger to Ireland in 1580 and settled in Co. Limerick.

  
  

These issues can be addressed by the project and the validity or otherwise of some of these can be shown by the results.