Irish Surnames

Ahearn is an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó hEachthighearna. This original Irish name means "descendant of Echthigern," a personal name composed of the Old Irish elements ech meaning "horse" and tigerna meaning "...

Ahearne is an Irish surname, primarily an anglicized form of Ó hEachthighearna, which means "descendant of Echthigern." The personal name Echthigern derives from Old Irish elements ech "horse" and tigerna "lord," thus me...

Beirne is an Irish surname, a variant of O'Byrne. As such, it traces its roots through the same Gaelic lineage. The original Irish form, Ó Broin, means "descendant of Bran," a personal name translating to "raven". The ra...

Berne is an Irish surname, primarily a variant of O'Byrne. This connection places it within the rich tapestry of Irish patronymic names, where the prefix "Ó" denotes "descendant of." The name O'Byrne itself has deep root...

Boyle is an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Baoighill, meaning "descendant of Baoigheall." The personal name Baoigheall is of uncertain origin, though it is thought to be connected to the Irish word geall meaning...

Breen is an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic Ó Braoin, meaning "descendant of Braon". The personal name Braon derives from a byname meaning "rain, moisture, or drop" in Irish. This etymology may ref...

OverviewBrogan is a surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Ó Brógáin, meaning "descendant of Brógán" — a personal name based on bróg, the Irish word for "shoe." While primarily a surname, the name Brogan has al...

Brontë is a variant of the surname Brunty, adopted by Patrick Brontë (1777–1861), an Irish-born Englishman. He changed the spelling from Brunty, a variant of the indigenous Irish surname Prunty, which derives from the Ga...

Brunty is an Irish surname, a variant of Prunty. The name Prunty derives from the Irish Ó Proinntigh, meaning "descendant of Proinnteach." The personal name Proinnteach is likely derived from Irish bronntach, meaning "ge...

Buckley 2 is an Irish surname derived from the native Gaelic Ó Buachalla, meaning "descendant of Buachaill", where Buachaill was a personal byname meaning "cowherd" or "servant". The name thus originated as a patronymic...

Burns 2 is a variant of the Irish surname O'Byrne, which is itself an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Broin meaning "descendant of Bran." The root name Bran 1 means "raven" in Irish, and in Irish legend, Bran mac Febail...

Butler is an English and Irish occupational surname derived from the Norman French butiller "wine steward", ultimately from Late Latin butticula "bottle". The name originally referred to the chief servant in charge of th...

Byrnes is a surname of Irish origin, primarily found among families with roots in Ireland and the Irish diaspora. It is a variant of the more common O'Byrne, which is itself an anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Broin. The...

Callaghan is a surname of Irish origin, a variant spelling of Callahan. It is an Anglicized form of the Old Irish patronymic Ó Ceallacháin, meaning 'descendant of Cellachán'. Etymology The root of the name is Cellach, an...

Caomhánach is a surname of Irish origin, representing the Irish Gaelic form of Kavanagh. The name traces back to Domhnall Caomhánach, the eldest son of the 12th-century Diarmait Mac Murchada, the king of Leinster. Domhna...

Etymology & OriginCarmody is a surname of Irish origin, anglicized from the Gaelic Ó Cearmada, meaning "descendant of Cearmaid." The personal name Cearmaid is thought to be derived from ceard meaning "craftsman" or "arti...

Carr is an Irish surname that represents the Anglicized form of Ó Carra, a Gaelic patronymic meaning "descendant of Carra." The personal name Carra itself derives from a nickname meaning "spear," likely originally bestow...

Carran is an Irish surname, primarily a variant of Curran. The name ultimately derives from the Gaelic Ó Corraidhín, meaning "descendant of Corraidhín," which itself possibly means "little spear" from corra ("spear") and...

Cavanagh is an Irish surname, a variant of Kavanagh. It originated as an anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic name Caomhánach, meaning "a student of Saint Caomhán" or "of the lineage of Caomhán". The name was first adopted...

Cavanah is an Irish surname, primarily a variant of Kavanagh. It may also derive as a reduced form of McCavana. The surname traces its roots to the Irish Gaelic name Caomhánach, meaning “a student of saint Caomhán.” This...

Cavanaugh is a surname of Irish origin, a variant spelling of Kavanagh. The surname belongs to a large group of anglicised forms derived from the original Irish Caomhánach.EtymologyThe root of both Cavanaugh and Kavanagh...

Cavey is a surname of Irish origin, possibly an Anglicized form of Mac Daibhéid, the Irish Gaelic form of McDevitt. This means that the name originally denoted a follower or descendant of Dáibhí, the Irish form of David....

EtymologyCleary is an Irish surname, deriving from the Gaelic cléireach meaning "clerk" or "cleric". Specifically, it is a reduced Anglicized form of the original Irish name Ó Cléirigh, which means "descendant of the cle...

Clery is a surname of Irish origin, serving as a variant of Cleary. Both names derive from the Irish word cléireach, meaning “clerk,” which itself traces back to the Clark lineage, ultimately from the Old English clerec,...

Coghlan is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cochláin, which means "descendant of Cochlán." The given name Cochlán is derived from the Irish word cochal meaning "cape" or "hood," possibly referring to a garment o...

Etymology and OriginCollins is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Coileáin, meaning "descendant of Coileán." The root name Coileán is an Irish byname meaning "whelp, young dog," suggesting a possible origin...

Connelly is an Irish surname. It is a variant of the more common Connolly, which is itself an anglicized form of the Irish Ó Conghalaigh, meaning "descendant of Conghalach." The personal name Conghalach derives from a ni...

Connery is an Irish surname that originated in County Waterford and County Wexford. It is an anglicized variant of Conroy, itself from the Ó Conaire Gaelic clan name, meaning "descendant of Conaire." The given name Conai...

Connolly is an Irish surname with a rich etymology and historical significance. It is the Anglicized form of the Irish Ó Conghalaigh, meaning “descendant of Conghalach,” where Conghalach is a personal name derived from t...

Etymology and OriginsConroy is an Irish surname with multiple possible origins. The most common derivation is the Anglicized form of Ó Conaire, which means "descendant of Conaire." The name Conaire itself means "hound ke...

Cooney is a common Irish surname, derived from the Gaelic Ó Cuana, meaning "descendant of Cuana". The personal name Cuana likely signifies "handsome, elegant". The Cooney sept originated in County Tyrone in the 12th cent...

Corcoran is an Irish surname with deep roots in Gaelic history and culture. It derives from the Irish Ó Corcráin, meaning "descendant of Corcrán." The personal name Corcrán comes from the Gaelic word corcair, meaning "pu...

Coughlan is an Irish surname, an anglicized form of Ó Cochláin, meaning 'descendant of Cochlán'. The personal name Cochlán is derived from Irish cochal, meaning 'cape' or 'hood', so the surname originally referred to a d...

Coughlin is an Irish surname, originating as the anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Cochláin. This patronymic name means "descendant of Cochlán," where the personal name Cochlán is derived from the Irish word cochal, meanin...

Crowley is an Irish surname. It is an Anglicized form of the Irish Ó Cruadhlaoich, meaning "descendant of Cruadhlaoch". The personal name Cruadhlaoch is derived from the Gaelic elements cruadh "hardy" and laoch "hero", t...

Cullen is an Irish surname that represents the anglicized form of the native Gaelic names Ó Coileáin or Ó Cuilinn. These patronymic surnames literally mean “descendant of Coileán” and “descendant of Cuileann” respectivel...

Cummins is a surname of English, Irish, and Scottish origin, derived from the Old Breton given name Cunmin, a cognate of Cuimín. Introduced to Britain at the time of the Norman Conquest, the name reflects early medieval...

Cunningham 2 is an anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cuinneagáin, meaning "descendant of Cuinneagán." This original Gaelic form is derived from a diminutive of the personal name Conn, which itself may come from Old...

Curry is an Irish surname with two primary origins. It is an anglicized form of either Ó Comhraidhe, meaning "descendant of Comhraidhe" (a personal name of unknown meaning), or Ó Corra, meaning "descendant of Corra". The...

EtymologyDaugherty is a surname of Irish origin, being a variant of Doherty. The root name Doherty is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Dochartaigh, meaning "descendant of Dochartach". The byname Dochartach derives from...

Delaney 2 is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Dubhshláine, meaning “descendant of Dubhshláine”. The original Gaelic patronymic indicates descent from a male ancestor named Dubhshláine, a personal name whose own...

Delany is a surname that functions as a Delaney 2 of the Irish surname Delaney.Etymology and OriginDelany is an anglicized form of the Irish Ó Dubhshláine, meaning "descendant of Dubhshláine." The personal name Dubhshlái...

Dempsey is a surname of Irish origin, derived from the anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Díomasaigh, meaning "descendant of Díomasach." The personal name Díomasach comes from the Irish adjective díomasach, which translates...

Dermott is a surname of Irish origin, primarily a variant of McDermott. The root name McDermott is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Diarmada, meaning "son of Diarmaid." The meaning of Diarmaid itself is uncertain, th...

Devin 1 is an anglicized surname of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic Ó Damháin or Ó Dubháin. The name reflects a common pattern of Irish surnames being adapted into standardized English forms during the early moder...

Devine is a Devin 1. variant. The variant spelling Devine is an Anglicized form of the Irish patronymic surnames Ó Damháin (meaning "descendant of Damhán") and Ó Dubháin (meaning "descendant of Dubhán"). Its core derived...

Devlin is an Irish surname with origins in the Gaelic tradition. It is the Anglicized form of the Irish Ó Doibhilin, meaning "descendant of Doibhilin." The personal name Doibhilin is believed to derive from the Gaelic te...

Doherty is an Anglicized surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Ó Dochartaigh, meaning "descendant of Dochartach". The personal name Dochartach is a byname meaning "obstructive" or "hurtful," likely indicating...

Dolan is an Irish surname that originated from the anglicization of the Gaelic patronymic Ó Dubhshláin, meaning "descendant of Dubhshláine." The root name Dubhshláine is derived from Old Irish elements: dub meaning "dark...

Donaghue is a variant of the Donoghue surname, which is primarily carried by families of Irish origin, particularly associated with American settlement where such spelling variations emerged through migratory recording.E...

Donne is a surname of Irish and Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic word donn, meaning "brown". It was originally a nickname for someone with brown hair or a dark complexion. The surname is a variant of Dunn, which...

Donnell is a surname of Irish origin, serving as a variant of O'Donnell. The name traces its roots back to the Irish patronymic Ó Domhnaill, which literally means "descendant of Domhnall." Domhnall, in turn, is the Irish...

Etymology and OriginsDonnelly is an Irish surname, anglicized from the Gaelic Ó Donnghaile, meaning "descendant of Donnghal". The personal name Donnghal is composed of the Celtic elements donn ("brown, dark") and gal ("v...

Donoghue is an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Donnchadha, meaning "descendant of Donnchadh." The given name Donnchadh itself is an Irish and Scottish Gaelic form of Duncan, which ultimately comes from the Old Ir...

Donohoe is an Irish surname, a variant of Donoghue, which itself derives from the Gaelic Ó Donnchadha meaning "descendant of Donnchadh." The personal name Donnchadh is composed of the Old Irish elements donn "brown, brow...

Donohue is an Irish surname, a variant of Donoghue. Both names originate from the Gaelic Ó Donnchadha, meaning “descendant of Donnchadh.” Donnchadh itself is the Irish and Scottish Gaelic form of Duncan, which derives fr...

Dougherty is an Irish surname, a variant of Doherty. The name is derived from the Gaelic Ó Dochartaigh, meaning "descendant of Dochartach"—a personal name thought to signify "obstructive" or "hurtful."Origins and History...

Duffy 2 is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Dhuibhshíthe, which means "son of Duibhshíth". The given name Duibhshíth is composed of the Gaelic elements dubh meaning "black" and síth meaning "peace", so the nam...

Duffy is an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Dubhthaigh, meaning "descendant of Dubthach". The name Dubthach itself comes from the Old Irish element dub "dark, black" combined with a second element of uncertain me...

Dunn is a surname of English, Irish, and Scottish origin, derived from the Old English word dunn meaning "dark" or the Gaelic donn meaning "brown," originally used to describe a person's hair color or complexion. The Iri...