The name of this site is "Hamiltons & Kavanaghs Forever!".  The Hamilton and Kavanagh Family  came to be because my Grandmother, Christine Moore, was married twice, firstly to James Kavanagh and then to  John William Hamilton.  Hence, I have a lot of Aunts,  Uncles and Counsins that are both Kavanaghs and Hamiltons.  I hope that both the Hamiltons and  the Kavanaghs who come upon this site will find it of interest.   There is a lot more  information I need from the both lines of our family to move this site on, so if you have any  information and, particularly,photographs to assist me I would really appreciate same.

HAMILTON SURNAME ORIGIN

(Origin Scottish) Originally Hambleton, from the manor of Hambleton, in  Buckinghamshire. William, third son of Robert, third Earl of Leicester, took that  surname from the place of his birth, as above. He was the founder of the family of  that name in Scotland, whither he went about the year 1215. The name is derived from  Hamell, a mansion, the seat of a freeholder, and dun, an enclosure, a fortified place,  a town.

Source: An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names With an Essay on  their Derivation and Import; Arthur, William, M.A.; New York, NY: Sheldon, Blake,  Bleeker & CO., 1857.

KAVANAGH SURNAME ORIGIN

Kavanagh or Kavanaugh is a surname of Irish origin, Caomhánach in Irish Gaelic. It is properly  Mac
 Murchadha Caomhánach (an example of an Irish agnomen; see Ó Catharnaigh Sionnach or Fox of Fir Teathbha), but is often now rendered 'Caomhánach' or rarely 'Ó Caomhánaigh'. These are the descendants of Domhnall Caomhánach (died 1175), son of Diarmuid Mac Murchadha or, Diarmuid na  nGall,
 King of Leinster. Possibly adopted by Síl Fáelchán clansmen in preference to the earlier name MacMurrough, given the prestige associated with the dynamic junior line that seized the  chiefship of
 the Uí Cheinnselaig tribal group in the High Middle Ages.