We read in The Calender of the Judiciary Rolls (1308-1314) that in 1311, Maurice Olaghtnan was charged at Waterford with waylaying Adam Keyr, a burgess of the Yoghell (An Eochaill), on the highway near Kensale and robbing him of 4d, and that "he led Philip son of Mathew le Poer, then a felon of the King . . . into the hundred of Oueghtagh to slay John le Hore, and that he is wont to do such things . . ." Ho-hum! Among the jurors who pronounced "Let him be hanged" was one William Patrick. William was also on the 1312 Waterford jury who tried Christyn O Galuan and Gilleburyn O Lehan of theft, and Thomas Bernard with stealing. That same year it was claimed at Tipperary, that certain persons had instigated "Hugh, son of Patrick" to engage in a bit of arson.
Again that year Arnald le Poer, knight, was charged with the death of Sarra, daughter of Robert Patrick. John, Robert, and Thomas Patrick served on Waterford, Cork and Carlow juries. (We came across no Patrick Patrick!).
This very Irish-sounding surname in Ireland is usually a Scottish one, derived from the first-name Patrick, "patrician, aristocratic" Latin, thence Irish; indicating Welsh- or Scots-born. It is associated with the Clan Lamont. However, it may be occasionally Irish O Maolphadraig, ("devotee of Saint Patrick"). "The earliest reference I have met to Patrick as a surname is in Archbishop Alen's Register to a canon of St Patrick's in 1229, but his name may have been ephemeral; in 1256 it is quite definitely a surname in counties Wicklow, Carlow and Waterford" (Mac Lysaght's More Irish Families).
Alen's Register notes that some time between 1256 and 1266, Yvo Patrik had two carucutes of land at Delaster and Clonbo in the tenement of Castlekevin, Co Wicklow; John Patricke was a bailiff at Rathcoole, Co Dublin, some time between 1257 and 1263, and Sir John Patrick had land in the suburb of Dublin in 1274. We read in Analecta Hibernica No 34 that John Patrick brought an action for possession of the manor of Kilmeadan in the Dublin Bench, some time around 1328 and had judgment given in his favour. The 1474 inventory of the goods of one Patrick Laweles of the parish of Tallaght, Co Dublin, lists among his debts 12d owed to Calyagh Patrike.
The Irish Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns (1521-1603) notes Geoffrey and Robert Patrick of Clongaugh, Co Kilkenny, in 1559, and Stephen Patrick, carpenter, of Roadstown, (probably in Co Carlow). The Court Book of the Liberty of Saint Sepulchre (1586-1590) notes John Patrick as constable of Finglas in 1587, while Nicholas Patrick de Braghall was among the jurors in a case heard at Finglas in 1590. "Yet is presented by James Regan that Hugh Gormley and his wife Ellen did make a fray by chiding, scolding & sclanderous words unto the said James being constable ("fray in words" written over the name "Ellen").
Among the Irish who were ordained in Prague in 1636 was Florentius Patritius - Florence Patrick. The "census" of 1659 lumps together the surnames Patrick and Fitzpatrick when listing the principal Irish names in the Co Kilkenny barony of Gowran. There was one family of Patricks in each of the Co Tipperary parishes of Roscrea and Ballynaclogh in both the Tithe Applotment books (1833) and Griffith's primary Valuation of 1850.
Of the 14 Patrick holdings listed in the 1876 Owners of Land of One Acre and Upwards, all - bar the 251 acres in Co Meath - were in Co Antrim and Co Down. Most are medium size, the largest being the 1,164 acres at Ballymena, Co Antrim.
When the guns arrived at Larne for the Ulster Volunteers on April 24th, 1914, 125 cars turned up to collect and distribute these guns. Among those car-owners was a Mr Patrick, Glarryford, who delivered nine bundles to Glarryford and Dunminning. Glarryford in the Co Antrim parish of Rasharkin comes from the Irish An tAth Glarach, "the muddy ford" (glar, silt, alluvium).
The surname Patrick appears 13 times in telephone directories south of the Border, mainly in Dublin and Cork, and 80 times in The Phone Book in the North.