GEASPAR
GEASPAR, genitive -air, Jasper; a fancy name given to one of the Magi who came from the East to adore the Infant Saviour. The Magi, according to tradition, were three kings named Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. who afterwards suffered martyrdom. The translation of their supposed relics from Constantinople to Milan, and thence to Cologne in the 12th century, made their names known in Europe. Gaspar became very common in Germany, and was in use in France as Gaspard and in England as Jasper. All three names were at one time in use in Ireland, but none of them ever became common. Gaspar was represented in the Fiants of Elizabeth by 'Gaspar Synnott,' 'Jasper Browne,' and 'Jasper Butler,' and is still in use. Melchior was current in the neighbourhood of Youghal, while Balthasar was a name among the Nugents. Latin — Caspar.
Alphabetical Index to Names of Men (Irish-English)
Note: The old Irish letters used in the original text* have been converted to the Roman alphabet for this online version, and the lenited (or dotted) consonants changed to their aspirated equivalents, i.e. the dotted 'c' has been altered to 'ch', the dotted 'g' to 'gh', and the dotted 'm' to 'mh', etc. For example, in the name Caoimgin (Kevin), where the 'm' and 'g' are both dotted (ṁ, ġ) in the old Irish lettering, the name has been converted here to the modern Irish equivalent of Caoimhghin.
* Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames by Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923.