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Irish names are used on the island of Ireland as well as elsewhere in the Western World as a result of the Irish diaspora. See also about Irish names.
- Top Fun Facts About Irish Surnames
- Irish Surnames Today
- Murphy
- Kelly
- O’Sullivan
- Walsh
- Smith
- O’Brien
- Byrne
- Ryan
A lot of Irish surnames begin with the prefix ‘O’ (‘grandson of’) or ‘Mc’/’Mac’ (‘son of’).Many Irish surnames have been anglicised, owing to both British rule in Ireland and the Irish diasporain Anglophone countries.Anglicisation isn’t the only cause of spelling variations; these are also caused by regional differences in pronunciation.Some Irish surnames have links to specific counties or regions in Ireland.Today, there are many different variations of Irish surnames, but most commonly, they can be divided into three categories. These include Gaelic Irish, Cambro-Norman, and Anglo-Irish last names. For those of you wondering which Irish family names are most popular today, your wait is finally over!
Gaelic Equivalent: ó Murchadha Meaning: sea-battler According to the Central Statistics Office, Murphy is consistently the most prominent surname across Ireland. Murphy is one of the most common Irish family names and examples of famous Murphys include actors Cillian Murphy, Eddie Murphy, and Brittany Murphy. LEARN MORE: The Ireland Before You Die ...
Gaelic Equivalent: ó Ceallaigh Meaning: bright-headed Famous Kellys include actor and director Gene Kelly, 20th-century artist Ellsworth Kelly, and actress and Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly. READ MORE: Our guide to the surname Kelly.
Gaelic Equivalent: ó Súilleabháin Meaning: dark-eyed Famous O’Sullivans include actress Maureen O’Sullivan, actor Richard O’Sullivan, and singer Gilbert O’Sullivan.
Gaelic Equivalent: Breathnach Meaning: Welshman The Central Statistics Office regularly records Walsh as one of the most common surnames in Ireland. Irish TV personality Louis Walsh, singer and Girls Aloud member Kimberley Walsh, and American actress Kate Walsh are three famous people with the surname Walsh. LEARN MORE: The IB4UD guide to the surna...
Gaelic Equivalent: Mac Gabhann Meaning: son of the smith Smith is one of the most common surnames across the world with well known Smiths such as actor Will Smith, actress Maggie Smith, and singer-songwriter Patti Smith all having the popular Irish surname. RELATED READ: Ireland Before You Die’s guide to the surname Smith.
Gaelic Equivalent: ó Briain Meaning: high, noble O’Brien has been a prominent surname in Ireland for centuries. It is commonly found in County Tipperaryand neighbouring counties. Famous people with the surname O’Brien include comedian Conan O’Brien, actor Dylan O’Brien, and guitarist Pat O’Brien.
Gaelic Equivalent: ó Broin Meaning: a raven By the mid-19th-century, Byrne was one of the most common Irish family names in Wicklow, recorded 1203 times. Famous owners of the Irish last name Byrne include actress Rose Byrne, actor Gabriel Byrne, and singer and Westlife member Nicky Byrne. LEARN MORE: Our guide to the surname Byrne.
Gaelic Equivalent: ó Maoilriain Meaning: king Ryan is a popular surname in County Tipperary. Ryan is another popular Irish family name across the world. Famous owners of the name include actresses Debby Ryan and Meg Ryan, and comedian Katherine Ryan. MUST READ: The Ireland Before You Die guide to the surname Ryan.
Unique Irish-American last names include McCarthy, Quinn, Malone, Gallagher, and McBride. Ancient influences on Irish last names are mixed between Irish and Scottish Gaelic words used in surnames and Anglicized Latin surnames that came through Roman and English occupation and migration.
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Irish Surname Index. Surnames in Irish : If the surname contains an initial mutation, do not remove it: Páidín and Pháidín are not identical. This is a collection of surnames that developed from the work of the Irish Folklore Commission. More information.
The database currently contains approximately 700 surnames. It is aimed at people who wish to map a surname or use a standard Irish surname. More information about this system can be found here. If you’d like to translate your name and surname to Irish, see cadhan.com/gaelu.
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Top 100 Irish Surnames. Rank – Surname (with % variants) Murphy. Kelly 97%, O’Kelly 3% Walsh 94%, Walshe 6% O’Connor 89%, Connor 9%, Connors 2% O’Sullivan 89%, Sullivan 11% Byrne 95%, O’Byrne 5% O’Brien 98%, Brien 2% Ryan. Smith 52%, Smyth 48% O’Neill 92%, Neill 8% O’Reilly 61%, Reilly 39% M (a)cCarthy 97%, Carthy 3% Doyle. Brown 56%, Browne 44%
