Where does my Irish surname come from?
Until about the 10th century in Ireland, surnames were not passed down from generation to generation. Instead, surnames were patronymic, or based on someone’s father’s name. A person was identified by his given name plus “mac,” meaning “son of,” followed by his father’s name.
What is the most common last name in Ireland?
Murphy
100 most Irish surnames revealed
| Rank | Name | Irish Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Murphy | ó Murchadha |
| 2 | Kelly | ó Ceallaigh |
| 3 | O’Sullivan | ó Súilleabháin |
| 4 | Walsh | Breathnach |
What are traditional Irish last names?
Common Irish Last Names
- Murphy – ó Murchadha.
- Kelly – ó Ceallaigh.
- Byrne – ó Broin.
- Ryan – ó Maoilriain.
- O’Sullivan – ó Súilleabháin.
- Doyle – ó Dubhghaill.
- Walsh – Breathnach.
- O’Connor – ó Conchobhair.
What is the oldest Irish surname?
O’Clery
The earliest known Irish surname is O’Clery (O Cleirigh); it’s the earliest known because it was written that the lord of Aidhne, Tigherneach Ua Cleirigh, died in County Galway back in the year 916 A.D. In fact, that Irish name may actually be the earliest surname recorded in all of Europe.
Is there an Irish royal family?
Irish royal families refers to the dynasties that once ruled large “overkingdoms” and smaller petty kingdoms on the island of Ireland. Members of some of these families still own land and live in the same broad locations.
What is the most Irish first name?
Jack
Baby Names of Ireland 1964 – 2020
| Name | Rank | Number of Births |
|---|---|---|
| Jack | 1 | 597 |
| James | 2 | 495 |
| Noah | 3 | 447 |
| Daniel | 4 | 359 |
Is McHugh a Viking name?
McHugh is a common surname of Irish origin. It is an anglicisation of the original Irish Mac Aodha, meaning literally “Son of Aodh”. Aodh was a popular male given name in mediaeval Gaelic Ireland.
What is the prettiest Irish name?
Here’s our list of the most beautiful names in the entirety of the Irish language.
- Saoirse. Saoirse (pronounced seer-sha) is a feminine name that rose to popularity during the 1920s.
- Caoimhe.
- Aoife.
- Fionnoula.
- Dáithí
- Cara.
- Ardál.
- Aisling.
How many Irish surnames are there in our database?
When a new reader signs up for our weekly Letter from Ireland – we ask them to supply the Irish surnames in their family tree AND the county their ancestor emigrated from. So far we have collected over 21,000 Irish entries in our database of Irish surnames representing over 3,750 different surnames.
What is the origin of the Irish surname ‘Gaels’?
The vast majority of Gaelic Irish surnames were created during the eleventh and twelfth centuries. It should be noted that the Scottish Gaels were actually descendants of Gaelic emigrants to Scotland. The word ‘Scotus’ is Latin for ‘Irishman’.
Are there any dominant Irish surnames in County Antrim?
In other counties, there are many dominant Irish Gaelic surnames that cover percentages of the population. However, Antrim has a history of being ‘planted’ by individual families carrying many distinct surnames from Scotland and England. Did any of your Irish ancestors come from County Antrim?
Are there any Irish clan names with different meanings?
Irish writers have been frequently led into error by this similarity or identity in form of names of widely different meaning. Only such clan-names as are mentioned in the preceding notes are here explained, and they are taken in their original sense of people-names.