“Time is a Great Storyteller.” – Irish saying

The Joynt surname is not one of the most popular surnames found in Ireland. And it’s an even smaller group that were and are Irish Catholic. “Joynt is an Irish surname of Huguenot origin meaning graceful or slim.” (1) It is also listed as “originally a Huguenot name, from the Old French word “joint” meaning “united,” or “joined.” (2)

The surname Joynt was first found in Ireland in counties Limerick and Mayo. Most of the Huguenots arrived in Ireland via England, having first fled to Switzerland, Germany, or Holland. Although some of the Huguenots in Ireland were essentially religious refugees, their numbers were increased by five Huguenot regiments recruited directly from Holland by the English King William of Orange, in his fight against the Irish forces of the deposed James II in 1690. Following William’s victory at Boyne, most of these Huguenots settled in Ireland. They were encouraged (forced) by William of Orange to settle in Ireland and by 1710 they numbered several thousand. (1 & 3)

In Irish Church Records, edited by James G. Ryan, published by Flyleaf Press, Dublin, Vivien Costello points out there were four waves of Huguenots that emigrated to Ireland following persecution in continental Europe: the second half of the 16th century; early 17th century; 60 years following the 1685 Edict of Nantes; and after the war of Austrian Succession ended in 1748. (3)

The migration of a branch of the Joynt family to the lonely, wind-swept country of County Mayo in the West Coast of Ireland is believed to have come about because of the Irish rebellion which started in 1641.

In 1649 Oliver Cromwell arrived with an army to subdue the Catholic rebels a process which took until 1653 to complete. He continued the policy of James I “The Plantation of England” by making substantial grants to his officers to establish an English Protestant presence amongst the rebellious Catholics. It is believed that two brothers of the Joynt family, both Captains in Cromwell’s Army received such land grants and settled in Counties Mayo and Limerick. We know that a William Joynt was the Sheriff of County Limerick c1659. (6)

In all likelihood my Joynt ancestors would have been originally French Huguenots. Were they religious refugees? Or was my ancestor recruited by William of Orange and ended up in Ireland? Or am I related to the two Joynt brothers thought to have been soldiers in Cromwell’s army and received land grants and settled in Counties Mayo and Limerick? However they came to be in Ireland, they would have been of the Protestant faith. How did my Joynt ancestors end up Roman Catholic? It certainly would not have been advantageous at this time in Irish history to convert to Catholicism. I venture to guess that it could have been love that engendered this change of faith. I realize that may be a romantic notion, but there would have been only a few reasons why someone would make such a drastic change in their life by converting to Roman Catholicism. Of course the person would have been disinherited and it would have made for a good reason to migrate to another area and is possibly how they ended up in Clare and Galway.

The furthest I can take my Joynt family line back is to Edmond Joynt who was born about 1782 most likely in County Clare. He lived in Poulataggle, Kilkeedy, Clare, Ireland. He married Honor(a) “Nora” Larkin. He died 15 April 1866 in Poulataggle, Clare, Ireland. He possibly may have been the son of Michael Joynt who is found in records as a flax grower in County Mayo in 1796.

There are a few more found with the spelling as Joint:

From the above graphics, the majority of Joynt householders in Ireland in the years 1847-1864 lived by far in County Mayo. It’s only a small group of us in Clare and even less in Galway. My ancestor Anna “Annie” Joynt Fahey was already married by this time. Her father Edmond “Ed” Joynt, brother Michael “Ned” Joynt and Joynt kin would have been included in the four Joynt households in County Clare, and the five found in County Galway would include her brother David Patrick Joynt before he came to the USA

The parentage of Honor(a) “Nora” Larkin is unknown. But DNA connections have shown she had at least two brothers. One brother who lived in Tubber, Galway, Ireland, and another brother who lived in Killaloe Parish, Clare, Ireland. I am a DNA match to descendants of both of these brothers. DNA has shown a strong connection to the Larkin families of Killaloe, Clare. It has also shown a tie between the Larkin families in Galway and Clare, and even a remote connection to Tipperary. This is not surprising because the original lands of this branch were on the borders of Munster, Tipperary and Meath. However, Cromwell’s policy of dispersal drove many west to Galway (and Clare). (4) Larkin cousins are found in Ireland, USA, Australia, and New Zealand.

Meaning of the surname Larkin:

The Irish surname “Larkin is an anglicization of the Gaelic Lorcan, a personal name meaning “rough” or “fierce.” The progression to Larkin from the original Ui Lorcain or O’Lorcain name began after the Norman invasion. Under the English influence the O was discarded to leave the name Lorcan or Lorkin. By the 18th century the name had become anglicized to the more common Larkin.” (4)

If you follow The Cancelled Land Books for Poulataggle it seems to show that Edmond Joynt is “the father of sons, Michael, Martin and David. Michael, being the eldest because he was the one to remain on the land in Poulataggle. Since Edmond’s presumed oldest son was Michael, Edmond may be the son of Michael Joynt who was a flax grower in County Mayo in 1796 and who has not been found on any other records.” (3)

Children of Edmond “Ed” Joynt and Honor(a) “Nora” Larkin:

1. Michael “Ned” Joynt born about 1802 and was of Poulataggle, Kilkeedy, Clare, Ireland. He may have married Mary ____. Some of his descendants migrated to England. (I have DNA matches to those that went to England).
2. David Patrick Joynt born about 1803 and was of Shananglish, Beagh Parish, Galway, Ireland. He died 15 January 1869 in Dyersville, Dubuque, Iowa, USA. He married Bridget Ann McDermott. (I am a DNA match to numerous descendants of this couple).
3. Anna “Annie” Joynt born about 1804 and was of Gort, Galway, and died before 1854 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She most likely lived in Shanaglish with her brother or other family before marrying. She married Thomas Fahey of Peterswell Parish, Galway, he was the son of Patrick Fahey and Honora “Norah” O’Donnell. (My direct ancestors).
4. Mary Joynt born about 1805 and was of Gort/Beagh Parish, Galway, Ireland. She died about 1870 in County Galway. She married John Fahey – he was a cousin of Thomas Fahey who married Anna “Annie” Joynt. Descendants of this couple went to Australia and New Zealand. (I am a DNA match to descendants of this couple).
5. Honor “Norah” Joynt born about 1812 and was of Gort, Galway, Ireland, she died about 1840 in Gort, Galway, Ireland. She married Thomas Carrig/Carrigg. Descendants of this couple went to Australia. (I am a DNA match to descendants of this couple).
6. Martin Joynt born about 1816 and was of Gort, Galway, Ireland. He lived in Abbeyknockmoy, Galway, Ireland. He married Mary Fahey who was most likely kin to Thomas Fahey and John Fahey.
7. Bridget “Biddy” Joynt born about 1820 in Tubber, Kilkeedy, Clare, Ireland. She lived in Abbeyknockmoy Parish, Galway, Ireland.
8. Daughter Joynt.

Possible additional children of Edmond “Ed” Joynt and Honor(a) Larkin:

1. Patrick “Pat” Joynt (Joyent) born 8 March 1818 in Tubber, Kilkeedy, Clare, Ireland, and died 29 April 1898 in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia. He married Mary Connors. He lived in Tubber, Kilkeedy, Clare before coming to the USA. (I have a few remote DNA matches to descendants of this couple).
2. Elizabeth Joynt born about 1819 in Tubber, Kilkeedy, Clare, Ireland and died 29 December 1884 in Southold, New York, USA. She married Patrick Rabbit(t). (I have a few DNA matches to the descendants of this couple).

Taken from the death record for Edmond Joynt:

Date/Place of Death: 15th April 1866 at Poulataggle. Edmond Joynt, Married. Age Last Birthday: 82 years, Farmer. Certified Cause of Death/Illness Duration: Tumor on Jaw 5 yrs. Informant Qualification/Residence: Thos. Mullins, Poulataggle, present at death.

Of interest from the Parish of Kilkeedy, County Clare, Ireland:

In The Parish of Kilkeedy, A Local History compiled by Frank Brew, on page 211 is an
article written by James O’Loughlin called Memories of Tubber and Kilkeedy
During the “Troubles”. He says, “The Volunteers I remember best were Frank Kelly,
the Ruanes, O’Briens, Moylans, O’Loughlins, Walshes, Joynts…” (5)
The troubles talked about here are 1916-1922, the Volunteers were the old I.R.A.

My line continues with Daniel Wolfetone “Dan” Fahey (Fay), a son of Anna “Annie” Joynt and Thomas Fahey. He married Catherine Mary “Kate’ Nestor Mullen. She was the daughter of Michael Nestor and Catherine Hansberry. I will be writing another blog entry in the future that centers on my ancestor Dan Fay and his life in Ireland and the USA, and also my other Fahey, O’Donnell, Nestor, and Hansberry ancestors and kin. I do have a secondary Joynt/Nestor family connection, so I needed to include this family information here for it to all make sense.

It appears that the Joynt, Nestor, and Fahey families all knew each other in Ireland, and it made for additional connections in the USA.

David Patrick Joynt, brother of my ancestor Anna “Annie” Joynt Fahey, and his wife Bridget Ann McDermott and most of their children immigrated to the USA.

My additional Joynt/Nestor connection is to one of the children of David Patrick Joynt and Bridget Ann McDermott. They had a daughter named Mary Joynt.

Mary Joynt was born September 1832 in Shanaglish, Gort, Galway, Ireland, and died 28 January 1905 In Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa, USA. She married first to Michael Nestor on 15 July 1861 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA. They had five children together.

Her husband Michael Nestor was the brother of my great-great grandmother Catherine Mary “Kate” Nestor Mullen Fahey (Fay).

Mary Joynt married second to Edward Murphy on 21 May 1872 in Iowa, USA. Two children were born of this second marriage.

I am a DNA match to the descendants of Mary Joynt Nestor Murphy from both of her marriages.

References:

1. Weekley, Ernest (1916). Surnames. J. Murray. p. 130.
2. Joynt Name History. – House of Names.com
3. Descendants of David Patrick Joynt (celticcousins.net)
4. Larkin Surname Meaning, History & Origin | Select Surnames
5. The Parish of Kilkeedy, A Local History compiled by Frank Brew, p. 211. 1998.
6. JoyntHistory.com – Background

For additional research on the Joynt families of Ireland and especially information about the descendants of David Patrick Joynt and Bridget Ann McDermott check out the website Celtic Cousins of Joynt cousin Cathy Joynt Labath. She is not longer doing family tree research and has not updated the site since 2013, but it has some good information. Her research does not include much information gleaned from DNA research, since it was before it was so readily available.

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