Spelling of Cassidy

Spelling of Irish names in the various records varies greatly.  For instance, I have Stewart ancestors whose name was also spelled Steward, Steuart, Stuart, etc.  I have Lowndes ancestors whose name also appears as Lownd, Lound, Loundes, Lond, etc.  And Reillys...supposedly there are at least 14 spellings.

I write all this to illustrate that Cassidy/Casady/etc. can be spelled in a variety of ways; because someone in Ireland uses your spelling doesn't mean they are related.

I hope this is helpful.

I have an romantic theory that during the Plantation period someone named Cassidy changed his religion and spelling to save his property and or horse from the English? Crazy? But I like it better that a goof in spelling

Wm,

I attach some detail from the Tithe Records in Ireland which will give you some information on the number of people with the spelling in the 1820's.

The Surnames of Ireland by Edward MacLysaght 3rd edition 1978 states that the surname "Cassidy" O'Cassidy relates to a Fermanagh family of Olavs and Physicians to the Maguires. Now numerous in all provinces except Connacht.

Regards,

Wm,

The word "Olav" is new to me, but I found a definition:

Ol'av - Ollamh - (Ir) A learned man, a doctor, a scholar, among the ancient Irish.

Source: The New Elizabethan Reference Dictionary - Fourth Edition - Newnes

Regards,