Flood — The Flood and the Devotee

Flood anglicises Mac Tuile or Ó Maoltuile, from tuile, ‘flood’ or ‘torrent’ — though some researchers read the underlying word as a mistranslation of toile, ‘will’, tying it instead to the same root that gives Tully, ‘devotee of God's will’. The two names were historically interchangeable in parts of Ireland. The family were hereditary physicians to the O'Connors of Galway, first found in Connacht, with later strongholds in Kilkenny, Cavan, Longford and Fermanagh.

One old word, two readings, two surnames — Flood and Tully both descend from the same uncertain root, just translated two different ways.

Irish form: Mac Tuile / Ó Maoltuile