Irish Family History

This is the 14th most common surname in Ireland, and is found all over Ireland although it is most prevalent in Donegal and the surrounding counties.  This is hardly surprising given the Gallaghers were one of the principal septs of Donegal.

In Irish, the surname is Ó Gallchobair, meaning ‘foreign help’ and, according to MacLysaght there are ‘at least 23 variant spellings in anglicized forms’.

According to Woulfe, the Gallaghers are descended from, Maelchoba the 7th century King of Ireland.  They were marshalls of the O’Donnell’s forces from the 14th century onwards and members of the family were also Bishops of Raphoe and Derry. 

Take a look at previous entries on Irish surnames.

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If you’re interested in Irish surnames, I recommend MacLysaght’s ‘The Surnames of Ireland’ as a useful guide.

Click on your country to take a look at the book: Ireland and UK, Canada and USA. (Select Ireland & UK if your country is not shown).

Mac Carthy or Mac Cárthaigh is derived from the Irish cárthagh meaning ‘loving’.

According to Mac Lysaght, the Mac Carthys were the chief family of the Eoghanacht. This was a dynasty that claimed descent from Eoghan, one of the sons of Oiloll Ollum, the third century king of Munster.

They are named after Carthagh, one of the lords of the Eoghanacht who died in 1045. His death is recorded in the Annals.

The Mac Carthys were the kings of south Munster or Desmond. Originally from Co. Tipperary they were driven southwards into Cork and Kerry after a long-lasting war against the O’Briens.

Woulfe identified three main branches of the sept: the MacCarthy More of Kerry, MacCarthy Reagh of Carbery in west Cork and MacCarthy of Muskerry, although there were many other minor branches.

The surname is now found in all areas of Ireland although it is particularly common in Cork, Kerry and Limerick.

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If you’re interested in Irish surnames, we recommend MacLysaght’s ‘The Surnames of Ireland’ as a useful guide.

Click on your country to take a look at the book: Ireland and UK, Canada and USA. (Select Ireland & UK if your country is not shown).

Our latest surname to be spotlighted is Doyle, one that is frequently to be found in the counties of Leinster. 

The Irish name is Ó Dubhghaill, meaning ‘black stranger or foreigner.’  This was how Danes were referred to when they first arrived in Ireland, well before the Anglo-Normans, which suggests that that the Doyles were originally a Danish (or perhaps Norse) sept.  

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If you’re interested in Irish surnames, we recommend MacLysaght’s ‘The Surnames of Ireland’ as a useful guide.

Click on your country to take a look at the book: Ireland and UK, Canada and USA. (Select Ireland & UK if your country is not shown).

The surname O’Reilly, Reilly or Riley is common throughout Ireland. The Irish form is Ó Raghailligh.

The head of this sept was the chief of an area known as Breffny O’Reilly which covered much of what is now County Cavan, as well as parts of Counties Meath and Westmeath.

According to Woulfe, they were particularly powerful in the 13th and 14th centuries, although they owned significant amounts of property right up to the Cromwellian confiscations.

To this day, the surname is particularly prevalent in Co. Cavan.

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If you’re interested in Irish surnames, we recommend MacLysaght’s ‘The Surnames of Ireland’ as a useful guide. Click on your country to take a look at the book: Ireland and UK, Canada and USA. (Select Ireland & UK if your country is not shown).

The O’Neills of Ulster were one of the most well-known septs in Ireland. They descend from Niall Glúndub, the King of Ireland. A reference to Domnall O’Neill, his grandson, is given in the Annals for the year 943, making it one of the earliest mentioned surnames.

The Tyrone O’Neills were one of the main families, descending from Niall of the Nine Hostages, while the Clannaboy O’Neills were found in Co. Antrim. According to MacLysaght, there were septs of the same name in Thomond, Co. Waterford and Co. Carlow. The surname is now common throughout Ireland, although it remains particularly common in Antrim and Tyrone.

The current Chief of the O’Neills of Clannaboy is Hugo O’Neill who was born in Portugal.

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If you’re interested in Irish surnames, we recommend MacLysaght’s ‘The Surnames of Ireland’ as a useful guide. Click on your country to take a look at the book: Ireland and UK, Canada and USA. (Select Ireland & UK if your country is not shown).

Irishfamilyhistory.ie reader Michael Lynch says, ‘I’d be very interested in finding out about my own surname, Lynch. I think it has two origins, Norman and Celtic?’

Lynch can derive from a Norman surname de Lench or Lenche. According to Woulfe, this family settled at Knock, Co. Meath shortly after the Anglo-Norman invasion. A branch of this family moved to Galway at the beginning of the fourteenth century and they became predominant among the ‘Tribes of Galway’.

The Gaelic-derived surname comes from Ó Loingsigh (from the Irish word for mariner) and refers to a number of small septs in the following areas: (i) Counties Antrim and Down, (ii) Co. Tipperary, (iii) Co. Cavan, (iv) Counties Clare and Limerick, (v) West Cork, (vi) Co. Sligo and (vii) Co. Meath.

In Donegal, Mayo and Cork Ó Loingsigh can be an abbreviated form for Ó Loingseacháin or Mac Loingseacháin.

Michael comments, ‘I always spell my name Ó Loinsigh but I also heard it can be spelt Ó Loingsigh? Is that correct?’ It is correct that the name can be spelled both ways. The more frequently-used spelling is Ó Loingsigh, and Michael’s form tends to be used mainly in Co. Galway, which may give a clue to its origins.

The surname Lynch is currently the seventeenth most frequent surname in Ireland.

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Would you like us to feature your surname? If you can’t find it under the surnames category to the right of this page, then let us know by leaving a comment.

If you’re interested in this subject we recommend MacLysaght’s ‘The Surnames of Ireland’ as a useful guide. Click on your country to take a look at the book: Ireland and UK, Canada and USA. (Select Ireland & UK if your country is not shown).

Irishfamilyhistory.ie reader John Noble says, ‘I know the name Noble is not truly Irish, but would like to see a profile on the Noble name especially in Northern Ireland!’

When we refer to Irish surnames on this site, we’re referring to surnames encountered in Ireland, so they may not necessarily be Irish in origin. Although John’s surname, Noble, does not have Irish roots, it has been recorded in Ireland since the thirteenth century.

According to McLysaght, Noble comes from the Norman French ‘le noble’, meaning noble or well-known. The Noble surname is mentioned in the 1659 Census for Co. Fermanagh and it is now found all over Ulster.

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Got a surname you’d like us to feature?  Let us know in the comments below.   

If you’re interested in this subject why not purchase MacLysaght’s ‘The Surnames of Ireland’?  Click on your country to take a look at the book: Ireland and UK, Canada and USA. (Select Ireland & UK if your country is not shown).

This week, we’re going to take a look at the surname O’Dwyer, as requested by Irishfamilyhistory.ie reader, Dobharcu.

Coming from the Irish Ó Duibhir, the surname O’Dwyer means ‘dark or black-coloured.’ According to Woulfe, this family originated in Leinster, but they became one of the leading septs in Tipperary and were the chiefs of Kilnamanagh.

There was also a family in Donegal of this name but it is not clear whether they were connected. The surname O’Dwyer can now be encountered across most of the south of Ireland.

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Has your surname been featured yet? Click on ‘Names’ on the right hand navigation of this page to find out.  Leave a comment if it’s not there and we’ll see what we can do. 

In the meantime if you want to find out more about Irish surnames try reading MacLysaght’s ‘The Surnames of Ireland’ which can be purchased on amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca and amazon.com.

The ninth most frequent name in Ireland, O’Connor occurs most often in Co. Kerry. The Irish is Ó Conchobhair.

According to MacLysaght, it is the name of ‘six distinct and important septs.’ The main one is the O’Connors of Connacht whose name is derived from the 10th century King of Connacht. Two members of this sept became kings of Connacht. There were three branches: the red O’Connor, the brown O’Connor and the Sligo Connor.

The head of this sept is the O’Connor Don and the present holder of the title is Desmond O’Connor Don of Sussex, England.  The ancestral home was Clonalis House, Co. Roscommon which is now owned by one of the family.  It is possible to stay as a guest in this Irish country house.

The O’Connors of Kerry owned most of the land between Tralee and the Shannon prior to the Anglo-Norman invasion when much of the land was taken, and the O’Connors of Keenaght, Co. Derry suffered a similar fate.  Other septs include the O’Connors of Philipstown in Offaly, the O’Connors of Corcomroe, Co. Clare and the O’Connors of Ui Breasail.

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Has your surname been featured yet? See what’s coming soon by looking at the list of top twenty surnames. If yours isn’t on it, then let us know and we may feature it shortly.

If you can’t wait, or want to find out more about Irish surnames try reading MacLysaght’s ‘The Surnames of Ireland.’ It can be purchased on amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca and amazon.com.

Ryan is the eighth most common Irish surname, and is particularly frequently found in Tipperary. Variants include Mulryan and O’Ryan.

It derives from the name of the Irish sept Ó Maoilriain, shortened to Ó Riain.  It is not clear what the name originally meant; as MacLysaght comments, it ’seems to be so ancient that its meaning was lost before records began.’

If you are interested in surnames, MacLysaght’s ‘The Surnames of Ireland’ comes highly recommended. It can be purchased on amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca and amazon.com.