Nevin (surname)

Nevin is a surname of Irish (Gallowglass) origin. Two etymologies are given. It may originate from Cnamhín, derived from Cnamh, "a bone", possibly a nickname in reference to the first chief of the clan who was a bony or large-boned man. Secondly, it may be an Anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic form MacCnaimhín / Ó Cnaimhín / MacCnaomhín / Ó Cnaomhín or Ní Chnáimhín / Ní Chnáomhín (female), meaning "Little Saint" or "Saintly" / "Believer in Saints" / "Religious".

The name Nevin is particularly found along the north and west coast of Ireland in Londonderry, Donegal, Mayo and Galway where many settled around the 13th century, having been Gallowglass Mercenaries, and in the north and west of Scotland. The Nevins are notable per local population in Achill and the surrounding islands in County Mayo and around Coleraine and Derry. Possible sources of the family have been cited as: Achill Island, Athenry, Mayo village and Mulranny in Ireland, as well as Braco, Isle of Bute, Kilwinning, and Lanark, in Scotland. Nevin has often been anglicised as McNevin, Nieven, McNieven, McNiven, Navin, Knavin and Niven, amongst many others. The main Scots translation, most likely due to accent, is Niven / McNiven.

The family name of Nevin originated somewhere within Scotland and Ireland sometime before the 6th Century. Although it is uncertain whether the family name originated in Ireland or Scotland, it is clear that there had been mutual migration between the two countries for several hundreds of years prior to the 13th century. It is possible that the Nevins first left Ireland for Scotland with the Dalriadan Scots or more likely, with a Gaelic migration sometime pre 5th Century. Nevins have been noted in presence well before the 10th century on the west coast of Scotland, most notably in Ayrshire, Islay, Bute and the Hebrides. The family were also noted in Ireland well before the 10th Century and are mentioned numerously as an ancient family of the Uí Maine of Connacht in O'Donovan's "The Hy Many". The family obtained a Seat near Athenry, Galway in the early 14th Century, most likely gifted as a payment for mercenary service. It is assumed the Nevin family's large presence in modern Ireland arrived with the Gallowglass sometime before the 14th Century.

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