Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Deasmhumhnaigh
‘descendant of the man from southern Munster’, from deas
‘south’ + Mumhain ‘Munster’, an ancient Irish kingdom named for
Mumhu, one of its early kings. The surname Desmond has passed
into common use as a personal name, not only in Ireland.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
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