Breslin Family Crest, Coat of Arms & Breslin Name Origin

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Origin of the Name Breslin

The ancient history of the name Breslin was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. The Irish name Breslin originated in Counties Donegal, Fermanagh and Sligo in the north-western part of Ireland. The Gaelic form of the name is O'Breaslain which was anglicized as Breslin, Breaslain and Breslane. This sept possessed territory in the district of the barony of Kilmacrenan called Fanad. They were one of the principal Brehon families of Ireland and were powerful Chiefs of Fanad up to the fourteenth century but their mastery was partly broken by the MacSweenys. The sept survived though and is still well represented in Donegal in modern times. In the sixteenth century some of the leading Breslin families migrated to County Fermanagh where they pursued their profession as Brehons under the MacGuires. The other smaller sept of the name were a branch of the Hy Fiachrach whose territory lay in Killanley, County Sligo.