Few names are more closely identified with one county than Uniacke is with Co. Cork; and this association is especially close with Youghal and its vicinity, in which there are two townlands called Mount Uniacke. The connexion with Youghal dates back at least till 1386 in the person of Thomas Unak, and in 1357 a Thomas Unack, perhaps the same person, is described in a patent roll as of Cork.

From the fourteenth to the nineteenth century records relating to Co. Cork abound in references to the name (those I have noted alone occupy a whole page of a very large ledger): for the most part these were landed gentry or leading burgesses of Youghal, some of whom suffered as Jacobites in 1690, though one, who is called MacUnacke in a Fiant of 1587, is there termed labourer. This Mac prefix however, has no Gaelic significance. The origin of the name is in some doubt. Richard Foley, who knew that part of the country intimately, in a note on Woulfe's treatment of the name says: “Father Woulfe says it is taken from their place of residence-not their Irish place, however, because that was Baile Uí Mheirgin, half way between Youghal and Killeagh. The reference may apply to some place of theirs in England. They are called Garde. The first to be styled Uniacke (in thirteenth century) was Bernardus Unak” Woulfe gives the Gaelic Irish form of the name as Doingeard, making the obsolete anglicized form Donnarde, derived from the Middle- English atten yeard from residence in an enclosure. * Though I have not met a modern case of the synonymous use of Uniacke and Garde there seems to be little doubt that in Co. Cork, where in Ireland the name Garde is mainly found, families so called are of the same stock as the Uniackes. There is also an English surname Garde derived from the word guard. A branch of this from Kent is said to have settled in east Cork in the seventeenth century, but as stated above Gardes in that area are mainly Uniackes.

John Fitzgerald Uniacke, who emigrated to Australia about 1820, wrote accounts of exploration surveys in that continent in which he had taken part.

*Mr. P.J. Kennedy informs me that the name Uniacke is to be found in the parish of Kilconierin (near Loughrea, Co. Galway) where it is believed to be a corruption of Mac Sheonaic, i.e. son of Jonathan (de Burgo).

Families so called are closely identified with Co. Cork, especially Youghal, since the fourteenth century. Some of them used the name Garde as a synonym. The origin of Uniacke and its etymological association with Garde are not finally agreed. SIF 150

The family are traditionally descended from the Fitz-Geralds, springing from the Desmond branch of that mighty house. The following is said to be the origin of the name :-"In the skirmishes which were constantly taking place between the rival houses of Fitz-Gerald and Butler, a service attended with great danger being necessary to be done, and the commander, hesitating whom to employ, an individual was pointed out, and recommended to him, with the remark: Unicus est, meaning, "He is the only person to undertake this service." These two words became not only the family motto, but also the surname of the descendants of that unique individual! B.L.G. The family have long been connected with the counties of Cork and Waterford.

(Irish), The only one, Unique; a name said to be a cor­ruption of “Unicus est,” the ancient Latin motto of the family.