Are you Irish? You might be if your surname happens to be one of the most common Irish surnames. As you are working on genealogy, you may discover that you have ancestors who came from Ireland. You might want to extend your search into Irish databases, to learn more about your relatives.
I am an American with Irish heritage, even though I don’t happen to look very Irish. My married name is from English origin, and my maiden name is Swedish. I know I am Irish because one of my grandmothers spoke fluent Gaelic, and her surname was Darcy, (which derives from the Gaelic surname O’ Dorchaidhe). If your surname is not one of the top ten most common Irish surnames, it does not necessarily mean that your family does not have Irish heritage.
The most common Irish surname is Murphy. The Gaelic equivalent is O’ Murchadha. It means “descendant of Murchadh’. This name comes from the naming elements of “muir”, which means “sea”, and “cath”, which means “battle”. In other words, Murphy means “Sea Warrior”. Number two is Kelly. This comes from the Gaelic name O’Ceallaigh. It means “descendant of Ceallach’”. This name means “bright headed”, and can it also refers to a person who frequently attends church. Number three is the surname O’Sullivan, which comes from the Gaelic O’Súilleabháin. It means “descendant of Súilleabháin”. This name has the elements of “súil”, which means “eye”, and “dubh”, which means “dark or black”. Put it all together, and O’Sullivan means “dark-eyed”.
The fourth most common Irish surname is Walsh. The Gaelic equivalent is “Breathnach”. It was once used to refer to Welshmen who came to Ireland after the Anglo-Norman invasion that took place in 1170. Number five is Smith. This may come from the Gaelic “Mac Gabhann”. It means “son of the smith”. This is a name that refers to a specific kind of job. A smith is someone who strikes metal, in order to form it into armor, weapons, and tools. Number six is O’Brien. The Gaelic it comes is “O’ Briain”. This name means “noble” and refers to someone who was from a higher class.
Number seven is Byrne. This name comes from the Gaelic “O’ Broin”. It means “descendant of Bran”. Bran was a hero of an 8th century tale. The King of Leinster also had a famous son named Bran. Byrne also means “raven”. Number eight is Ryan. The Gaelic for this surname is “O’ Maoilriain”. It means “descendant of Maoilriaghain”. It also means “descendant of the little red one”, and “King”, depending on what source you look at.
Number nine is O’Connor, which comes from the Gaelic “O’ Conchobhair”. It means “descendant of Conchobhar”. Conchobhar, in Irish legend, was a King of Ulster at around the time of Christ. The name also means “patron of warriors”. And finally, the tenth most common Irish name is O’Neill. This comes from the Gaelic “O’ Néill”. It means “descendant of Niall”. Niall comes from an Irish legend, and was known for consolidating the northern region of Ireland.
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