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Feb 14, 2024 · This guide is a collection of the most common Irish last names, their meanings, pronunciations and interesting facts. To make browsing the many Irish surnames easier, we’ve split the guide into four sections: The most common Irish names: Based on statistics from Ireland’s CSO
- Murphy. Gaelic Equivalent: ó Murchadha. Meaning: sea-battler. According to the Central Statistics Office, Murphy is consistently the most prominent surname across Ireland.
- Kelly. Gaelic Equivalent: ó Ceallaigh. Meaning: bright-headed. Famous Kellys include actor and director Gene Kelly, 20-century artist Ellsworth Kelly, and actress and Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly.
- O’Sullivan. Gaelic Equivalent: ó Súilleabháin. Meaning: dark-eyed. Famous O’Sullivans include actress Maureen O’Sullivan, actor Richard O’Sullivan, and singer Gilbert O’Sullivan.
- Walsh. Gaelic Equivalent: Breathnach. Meaning: Welshman. The Central Statistics Office regularly records Walsh as one of the most common surnames in Ireland.
- Kimberly Powell
- 50 Common Irish Surnames. Many of these early Irish surnames began as patronyms to identify a son separately from his father or a grandson from his grandfather.
- Brennan. This Irish family was very widespread, settling in Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, and Westmeath. The Brennan surname in Ireland is now mostly found in County Sligo and the province of Leinster.
- Brown or Browne. Common in both England and Ireland, the Irish Brown families are most commonly found in the province of Connacht (specifically Galway and Mayo), as well as Kerry.
- Boyle. The O Boyles were chieftains in Donegal, ruling west Ulster with the O Donnells and the O Doughertys. Boyle descendants can also be found in Kildare and Offaly.
Most Common Last Names In Ireland. Forebears knows about 174,203 unique surnames in Ireland and there are 27 people per name. Explore the most common surnames in Ireland.
RankSurnameIncidenceFrequency1Murphy77,2561:612Kelly57,6091:823Byrne48,9751:964Walsh48,7411:97- Murphy – The Sea Battlers. Murphys – you win the prize for most common last name in Ireland, especially in County Cork. This surname, which means “sea battler,” translates to Irish as MacMurchadh (son of Murchadh) and O'Murchadh (descendent of Murchadh), a derivation of the first name of Murchadh or Murragh.
- Kelly – The Bright-Headed Ones. Kelly comes second to Murphy as the most common last name in Ireland. The Kellys are all over Ireland; the name originates from around 10 unrelated ancient clans or septs.
- O'Sullivan – The Hawkeyed Ones. Kellys may have bright heads, but O’Sullivans have hawk-like eyes. The O'Sullivans or Sullivans are one of the most populous of the Munster families.
- Walsh – The Welshmen. The meaning of this “Welsh” name is pretty straightforward. The name Walsh is one of the most common of the Norman-associated names found in Ireland.
Apr 24, 2024 · If your name does not appear in this list, you may find it in our comprehensive list of 300 most common Irish surnames and their meanings. From Aherne to Whelan, here is our top 100 Irish names ...
Mar 17, 2024 · Traci Rhoades. Updated: Mar 17, 2024. The luck of the Irish. Where to begin? Perhaps with the Celts, an ancient people who lived in a much larger territory than the British Isles. We'll cover their...
