Traynor (surname)

The surname may descend from the Old English word "trayne" which means to trap or snare and may have been the name for a hunter. The name was recorded in the 13th century on tax records in County Durham and in Yorkshire as well.[4] Yorkshire was probably one of the first strongholds for the English family branch. Early examples of the surname in England is Robert Treiner found in County Durham's tax records in the year 1243, Ann Traner from marriage records found in the year 1604 and Robertus Trainer found on Yorkshire poll tax records in 1379.[5]

Another possible origin of the surname may be that it may have been given to horse trainers in medieval England.[6] The name remains common mostly in Northern England, particularly in Yorkshire and Durham.[7] The surname is also quite common in North West England as well, with high populations in Cheshire, Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester.[8]

The Irish surname may descend from "Threin Fhir" which means "strong man" in Irish Gaelic. It is mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters compiled in the years 1632–1636 at the convent of Donegal, by the chief author, Michael O'Clery, a monk of the order of St. Francis[9] as having descended from the Colla Dá Crich. In the Census of Ireland of 1659, from the poll money ordinance, the census describes the most common "Irish" names of County Monaghan and lists McTrenor among them citing 30 Irish McTrenor households.[10]

Common in Monaghan and throughout Ulster, the name is associated with Kelley and other Ui Maine ancestry. Legends from Clogher, Tyrone, Northern Ireland associate the name with Aedh Mac Cairthinn, the first Bishop of Clogher who was called Saint Patrick's "strong man". Some male Traynors conducting Y-DNA genealogy tests have traced their Y-DNA to z2961+ m222- R-FGC6562+[11] as an adjunct branch of the Ui Maine haplogroup descending from Máine Mór.

Traynors in Ireland may also be of Anglo-Irish origins. The surname may have been brought over to Ireland by English settlers during the British rule in Ireland. The surname and its variations have been found on numerous parish records for various different Church of Ireland congregations throughout Ireland.[12] Some Traynors were also have been members of the ruling upper class in Ireland during the Protestant Ascendancy.

The last name of some Traynors in Ireland may descend from English settlers to the island. Many Traynors in Ireland are Anglo-Irish and/or Protestants. Some may also descend from settlers from the Plantation of Ulster. Scot Traynors may be descendants of Clan Armstrong and came to Ireland during the Plantation of Ulster or are perhaps descendants of Traynors from Northern England.[13][14][15]

Trainor, Trainer, Treanor, and Trayner are common variations.