The Origin of Irish Surnames

Many of the well known surnames out there have a link to the Irish. Some of them are the same as they once were. Many others though have a slight variation to the name in the way it is spelled or pronounced. Understanding the origin of an Irish surname that is part of your family history can be very interesting. It is great information to pass on to your own children as well.

Surnames became a common way to identify who was who. As the size of tribes began to grow it wasn’t enough for a person to only have one name like before. This process became the norm during the 11th Century. You will find that certain Irish surnames developed in particular regions. When you move on to another area, you won’t find those same surnames as what you found before.

The process of passing that surname down from one generation to the next was also implemented at this time. It was a way for families to remain connected even if they didn’t stay in the same area as they did in the past. Young men would keep that Irish surname the entire lives. It was something they were very proud of. Men wanted to sire at least one son to keep their surname alive for future generations.

Women would give up their surname when they married someone. This was due to the concept of ownership upon marriage that took place back then. They were encouraged to marry a man with a surname that came with a very strong background. A great deal of pride and respect for men with certain surnames was taking place.

You will find there are three major categories that each Irish surname falls under. There is the Gaelic Irish, Cambro – Norman, and the Anglo Irish. You will often find that there are many Irish surnames that come with an O' before them. The original format is still more common. Some people assume that only those surnames that begin with O' are actually Irish. However, that isn’t the case.

The internet is the perfect place to find out about specific Irish surnames. You can find the meaning of it, how popular it is, when it emerged, and from what part of the country. This is very detailed information that you can use to process your own family history. You can also find out the various spellings and pronunciations of those Irish surnames you are associated with.

Over time we hope to add articles on the following Irish Surnames. If you have a name that is not on this list then please contact us via the contact form and we will add it.

Murphy, Kelly, O'Sullivan, Walsh, Smith, O'Brien ,Byrne, Ryan, O'Connor, O'Neill, O'Reilly, Doyle, McCarthy, Gallagher, O'Doherty, Kennedy, Lynch, Murray, Quinn, Moore, McLoughlin, O'Carroll, Connolly, Daly, O'Connell, Wilson, Dunne, Brennan, Burke, Collins, Campbell, Clarke, Johnston, Hughes, O'Farrell, Fitzgerald, Brown, Martin, Maguire, Nolan, Flynn, Thompson, O'Callaghan, O'Donnell, Duffy, O'Mahony, Boyle, Healy, O'Shea, White, Sweeney, Hayes, Kavanagh, Power, McGrath, Moran, Brady, Stewart, Casey, Foley, Fitzpatrick, O'Leary, McDonnell, MacMahon, Donnelly, Regan, Donovan, Burns, Flanagan, Mullan, Barry, Kane, Robinson, Cunningham, Griffin, Kenny, Sheehan, Ward, Whelan, Lyons, Reid, Graham, Higgins, Cullen, Keane, King, Maher, MacKenna, Bell, Scott, Hogan, O'Keeffe, Magee, MacNamara, MacDonald, MacDermott, Molony, O'Rourke, Buckley, O'Dwyer.