Kiernan’s Roots

Kiernan (Mac Thighearnáin) comes from a family line that settled in upstate New York after emigrating from Ireland in the 19th century. The Major surname traces its deepest roots to Scandinavia from the start of recorded history to the 10th century. Stemming from the ancient Germanic warrior name "Madal-gari" (meaning "Council Spear"), the name was carried by Vikings into Northern France, where it evolved into the Norman-French "Mauger" before being established in Ireland over 900 years ago. Alongside other Hiberno-Norman families such as the Butlers and FitzGeralds, these settlers integrated into Irish society over generations, adopting the language, customs, and Catholic faith of the people around them. They eventually became noble and aristocratic families who were famously described by historian John Lynch as being “more Irish than the Irish themselves” (Hibernis ipsis Hiberniores).

Following their arrival, these families rapidly rose to prominence by securing vast territories and building formidable stone castles to protect their new domains. Through strategic military alliances and intermarriage with the native Gaelic royalty, they established semi-independent lordships that wielded immense political and economic power across the island. However, this rise of powerful families to positions of influence eventually alarmed English officials, who feared they would act independently of the English Crown. This perceived threat led the British government to pass laws like the Statutes of Kilkenny in 1366, in an attempt to prevent Norman families from fully assimilating into Irish culture and challenging Royal authority.

In the north of Ireland, the Majors, like many other Catholic families of the era, farmed land in County Derry (Doire). During the 17th-century Plantations and subsequent Penal Laws, much of the native and Hiberno-Norman land was effectively seized by the British government, which imposed new Protestant landlords and required families to pay rent on land they had once held as their own. By the mid-19th century, these longstanding systems of exploitation, combined with policies that exacerbated the Great Famine, directly affected the Majors. At that time, the family line was headed by John and Mary Major—Kiernan’s seventh-generation ancestors and the parents of Charles J. Major—who, as a result of this oppression, forged a plan to establish a new life in America.

In America, Thomas Edward Major became a pillar of the Skaneateles Falls community, running a barber shop while also holding positions as a school trustee and town clerk. His dedication to both his craft and civic life set a standard for future generations.

Kiernan’s great-grandfather, John Edward Major, was an active member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Holy Name Society, and the Knights of Columbus, reflecting the family’s deep Catholic faith and community involvement. His son, John Edward Major Jr., a U.S. Army veteran who served in Germany following WWII, and his son, John Edward Major III, were also members of the A.O.H., continuing this tradition of civic and religious engagement.

This legacy continued with John Edward Major III, who worked for the State of New York, and Michelle Marie Toole Major (Ó Tuathail), a registered nurse at their local community hospital whose own surname carries the heritage of one of Ireland's ancient Gaelic royal houses. Together, they raised their family grounded in perseverance, community involvement, and a deep connection to their heritage.

Today, Kiernan carries forward this legacy—a family story shaped by historical adversity, the endurance of Norman-Irish roots, and a dedication to faith and family. His surname reflects centuries of Hiberno-Norman heritage, standing alongside other storied names of the same tradition such as Fuller, Burke, Butler, Roche, Dillon, FitzGerald, and Condon.

His paternal lineage is traced as follows: Charles J. Major and Margaret Mallon (Ó Mealláin), whose son Thomas Edward Major married Lucinda Ellen McCarthy (Mac Cárthaigh); their son, John Edward Major, married Marie Anna MacBeth (Mac Beatha); his son, John Edward Major Jr., married Donna Marie Fedigan (Ó Féadagáin); and they had John Edward Major III, who married Michelle Marie Toole (Ó Tuathail). From this union came Kiernan Michael Major.