Recorded in the spellings of Minogue, Minnock, Minnox and Mannock, this is an Irish surname of great antiquity. In its modern forms it is an anglicized form of the pre 12th century Gaelic O' Muineog. The prefix "O" indicates "male descendant of", plus the personal byname Muineog, believed to be a diminutive of "Manach", monk. This great sept originated in East County Clare and the townland of Ballyminogue in the parish of Tuamgraney marks the centre of its location. The prefix "bally" is from the word "baile", meaning a town. The name is also found on the other side of Lough Derg, in the barony of Lower Ormond, County Tipperary, where several families were resident when Petty's "census" of 1659 was taken. The first recorded namebearer, (see below), was described as a "tower of the piety of Erin", and in 1313 one, Walter O'Mynok, witness, appears in the Court Rolls of Limerick. Occasionally, the surname Mannix, also deriving from "manach", a monk, is used as a synonym for Minogue in East Clare, and the spelling of Mannock and Minnock is particular to County Offaly. Examples of the name recording include on April 19th 1864, the birth of Catherine Minogue was recorded in Annacarriga, County Clare, whilst Captain Mick Mannock was the leading allied fighter 'ace' of the First World War. Born in Ireland in 1884, he was killed in April 1918 only a few months before the war ended. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Clerichen O' Muineoc, bishop of Leighin, County Carlow. This was dated 1050, in the Annals of Lough Ce, during the reign of High Kings of Ireland 1022 - 1166. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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