65 Most Common Irish Last Names With Meanings

Irish or Gaeilge is one of Ireland’s two official languages. It was seen for the first time in Ogham form in the fifth century. So, I have selected the 65 most common Irish last names with meanings included.

List Of 65 Common Irish Last Names:

Dunne

Dunne comes from Ó Doinn and Ó Duinn and means ”brown” or ”dark.” The Dunnes, one of the chiefly families of the Ui Failghe, used to have many castles in Ireland.

Murphy

Murphy is a variant of Mac Murchaidh and Ó Murchadha.

Griffin

Griffin is a name of Irish and Welsh origins and is meaning ”descendant of Gríobhtha.”

Kelly

Kelly is from the word ceallach (bright-headed).

Quinn

Quinn is from Ó Cuinn and is symbolizing descendant of Conn (”counsel” or ”clear head”). It is pronounced as KWIN.

Moore

Moore is the anglicised Ó Mórdha and is from mórdha (means ”proud” or ”stately”).

Duffy

Duffy is linked to Ó Dubhthaigh which means ”descendant of Dubhthach” or ”descendant of the dark one”.

Regan

Regan has its origins in the Gaelic ‘Ríoghán’ and has a meaning that I like, ”royal” or ”little king.”

O’Brien

O’Brien means a descendant of Brian.

Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald has Irish and Anglo-Norman French origins and means “son of Gerald.” Barry Fitzgerald was an actor who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Going My Way.

Walsh

Walsh comes from a Middle English word “Welsh” (foreigner). Welsh and Walshe are all good variants.

Doherty

Doherty is meaning unlucky or obstructive.

Boyle

Boyle (”rash pledge”) initially started as Ó Baoill in Donegal, a clan of the Northern Uí Néill.

Flynn

It is an anglicised form of Ó Floinn (”red or ruddy colouring”). You’ll meet it in Cork and Roscommon.

Fitzpatrick

”Servant of Saint Patrick.”

Smith

Smith is an occupational surname and the 5th most common surname in Ireland. It is from the Old English word smithe (blacksmith).

Doyle

It is from the Gaelic Ó Dubhghaill and is meaning “descendant of Dubhghall.” Doyle is one of the top 10 most common surnames in Ireland

O’Sullivan

O’Sullivan comes from the Irish O’ Suileabhain and it means ”descendant of the one-eyed.”

Jordan

Jordan has Hebrew origins and is symbolizing “to flow down.”

Facts about the Irish language

Gaeilge is the name of the language in Irish.

It has three major dialects. Each differs slightly in vocabulary, pronuncition, and grammar.

There are no words for “yes” or “no”.

Ogham is basically “edge writing.”

Burke

Burke means “a fortified settlement” or “fortress.” It has roots in the House of Burgh that is an Irish family that descends from the Anglo-Norman de Burgh dynasty.

Kavanagh

Kavanagh originates in Caomhánach that means “follower of St. Caomhán”. Kavanaugh is another version.

Collins

Collins is a diminutive of the Greek Nicholas which means “victory of the people.” In case you didn’t know, Saint Nicholas of Myra grew into the figure we call Santa Claus today. It also comes from the word cuilein (darling).

McLoughlin

McLoughlin derives from the Gaelic Ó Maoilsheachlainn which is means “son of Lochlann.”

Campbell

Campbell has origins in the Gaelic Caimbeul that is symbolizing “crooked mouth.”

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MacCarthy

Son of Cárthach.

Clarke

Clarke is pronounced “klahrk.” It comes from the Latin clericus (means cleric or priest). Clark and Clerk are variants of Clarke.

McDermott

McDermott means free from envy or free man.

Connolly

“Fierce as a hound”.

Sweeney

It means “son of Suibhne” and is from the Gaelic Mac Suibhne (”pleasant”). Sydney Sweeney played in The Handmaid’s Tale as well as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Keane

“Little warrior.”

Malone

From “Mael Eóin,” Malone means “servant of Saint John”.

Whelan

”Young wolf.”

Gallagher

Gallagher is linked with the noble Gallagher family of County Donegal and means helper of the stranger.

How to choose a good Irish name

Many Irish names are from Gaelic which is the ancient language of Ireland.

Consider character backstory.

Make certain you are spelling it correctly.

Stick with an existing name.

Hayes

Hayes is an anglicized form of Ó hAodha and is meaning ”enclouser” or ”hedged area.”

Nolan

Nolan is from Ó Nualláin meaning noble or famous. The O’Nolans of Ireland are one of the oldest families in Ireland.

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O’Carroll

O’Carroll means “descendant of Cearbhall.” Carrell or Carroll are different variations.

Hughes

Hughes is a variant of the Old French Hugues and is symbolizing ”mind” or ”heart.” It also comes from Ó hAodha. Rugby player Ailsa Hughes made her debut for Ireland in 2017.

Higgins

Higgins is the Anglicised variant of Ó hUiginn which is meaning descendant of Uiginn (”viking”).

O’Dwyer

It means ”black” and is from Ó Dubhuir. Clan O’Dwyer is one of Ireland’s oldest aristocratic houses.

Kennedy

It is an Anglicisation of Ó Cinnéide (grandson of Cinnéidigh). O’Kennedy was a sept of the Dál gCais.

O’Reilly

The O’Reillys were the kings of East Bréifne.

Lynch

It is from “O’Loingsigh,” meaning “seafarer.” Lynch was one of the 14 merchant families that are known as the Tribes of Galway,

Cullen

Cuileán means ”young hound” or ”whelp.”

Casey

Casey comes from Ó Cathasaigh, and is meaning ”watchful” or ”vigilant.”

Foley

Foley means ”plunderer” or ”raider” and is from Ó Foghladha and the root foghlaidh.

O’Neill

“Grandson of Niall”.

Ryan

Ryan has roots in Ó Riain that means ”descendant of Rian.”

McCarthy

McCarthy has several variants that I love including MacCarthy and McCarty. It means ”loving” or ”son of the loving one.” Cormac In 14446 Láidir MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry, constructed the keep at Blarney.

McMahon

”Son of the bear.”

Byrne

Byrne comes from Ó Broin, descendant of Bran, and ”bran” is the word for raven.

O’Connor

”Descendant of Conchobhar” and was one of the royal houses of Connacht.

O’Connell

It means ”descendant of Conall” and is made from cú (”hound”) and gal (”valour”).

Brennan

Brennan (”little raven”) and comes from ”bran.”

Rooney

Rooney means ”hero” or ”champion” and has origins in Ó Ruanaidh.

Donnelly

Donnelly is made of donn (that means ”brown”) and gal (”valour”) via Ó Donnghaile.

Egan

Egan (”little fire”) is from a line of Brehons. Keegan and McKeegan are spelling variations.

Hogan

”Young warrior”.

Ward

Ward is from Mac an Bhaird (”son of the bard”) and the family were hereditary poets to Gaelic chieftains in Donegal and Galway.

Cassidy

“Curly-haired”.

Devlin

“Unfortunate” or “unlucky”.

Costello

Costello means “son of Oisdealbhach.”

Hennessy

In 1765 Richard Hennessy founded the cognac house.

Delaney

Delaney combines dubh (means ”dark”) and Sláine, the River Slaney. Variants include Delany and Dulaney.

Tierney

”Lordly”.

Magee

Magee means ”son of Aodh.”