lastnamegenerators

Irish American Last Names

These Irish American last names, from Murphy and Kelly to Sullivan and Fitzgerald, are listed with their meanings, along with the history of how famine emigrants and their descendants carried them to America.

200 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

B

  • Barry

    Norman-Irish de Barri, from Barry Island, Wales

  • Boyle

    From Ó Baoill, possibly vain pledge

  • Brady

    From Mac Brádaigh, spirited

  • Brennan

    From Ó Braonáin, possibly sorrow

  • Burke

    Norman de Burgh, fortified town

  • Butler

    Norman-Irish, chief wine steward

  • Byrne

    From Ó Broin, raven; also spelled Burns

C

  • Cahill

    From Ó Cathail, strong in battle

  • Carey

    From Ó Ciardha, dark

  • Carroll

    From Ó Cearbhaill, possibly fierce in battle

  • Casey

    From Ó Cathasaigh, vigilant

  • Cassidy

    From Ó Caiside, curly-haired

  • Clancy

    From Mac Fhlannchaidh, red warrior

  • Cleary

    From Ó Cléirigh, clerk

  • Coleman

    Anglicized Ó Colmáin, dove

  • Collins

    From Ó Coileáin, young hound or whelp

  • Connell

    From Ó Conaill, strong as a wolf

  • Connolly

    From Ó Conghaile, fierce as a hound

  • Connors

    Anglicized plural form of O'Connor, lover of hounds

  • Conway

    Anglicized from several Gaelic names, possibly hound of the plain

  • Corcoran

    From Ó Corcráin, purple or ruddy

  • Costello

    From Mac Oisdealbhaigh, a Norman-Irish family

  • Coughlin

    From Ó Cochláin, hooded cloak

  • Coyle

    From Mac Giolla Chomhghaill, servant of Saint Comhghall

  • Cronin

    From Ó Cróinín, swarthy

  • Crowley

    From Ó Cruadhlaoich, hard hero

  • Cullen

    From Ó Cuilinn, holly

  • Cunningham

    Anglicized Ó Cuinneagáin, or a Scottish place name

  • Curran

    From Ó Corráin, possibly spear

D

  • Daly

    From Ó Dálaigh, frequenter of assemblies

  • Delaney

    From Ó Dubhshláine, possibly dark challenger

  • Dempsey

    From Ó Díomasaigh, proud

  • Dillon

    From Norman de Leon, or Irish Ó Duilleáin

  • Doherty

    From Ó Dochartaigh, possibly hurtful or obstructive

  • Dolan

    From Ó Dubhshláin, possibly dark defiance

  • Donahue

    From Ó Donnchadha, brown warrior; also Donoghue

  • Donnelly

    From Ó Donnghaile, brown valor

  • Donovan

    From Ó Donnabháin, dark brown; O' usually dropped

  • Dougherty

    Anglicized Ó Dochartaigh, possibly hurtful; many spellings

  • Doyle

    From Ó Dubhghaill, dark foreigner

  • Driscoll

    From Ó hEidirsceoil, go-between or interpreter

  • Duffy

    From Ó Dubhthaigh, dark

  • Duggan

    From Ó Dubhagáin, dark

  • Dunne

    From Ó Duinn, dark or brown

  • Dwyer

    Anglicized Ó Duibhir, dark, with the O' dropped

E

  • Early

    Translation of Ó Mocháin, from moch, early

  • Egan

    From Mac Aodhagáin, fire

F

  • Fahey

    From Ó Fathaigh, possibly foundation

  • Fallon

    From Ó Fallamhain, leader

  • Farrell

    From Ó Fearghail, man of valor

  • Feeney

    From Ó Fiannaidhe, soldier

  • Finn

    From Ó Finn, fair-haired

  • Finnegan

    From Ó Fionnagáin, fair

  • Fitzgerald

    Norman-Irish, son of Gerald, spear rule

  • Fitzgibbon

    Norman-Irish, son of Gibbon, a form of Gilbert

  • Fitzpatrick

    From Mac Giolla Phádraig, servant of Patrick

  • Fitzsimmons

    Norman-Irish, son of Simon

  • Flanagan

    From Ó Flannagáin, ruddy or red

  • Flynn

    From Ó Floinn, ruddy

  • Foley

    From Ó Foghladha, plunderer

G

  • Gaffney

    From Ó Gamhna, calf

  • Gallagher

    From Ó Gallchobhair, foreign helper

  • Galvin

    From Ó Gealbháin, bright white

  • Garvey

    From Ó Gairbhith, rough peace

  • Geraghty

    From Mag Oireachtaigh, member of an assembly

  • Gleason

    From Ó Glasáin, green or grey

  • Gorman

    From Mac Gormáin, blue or dark

  • Grady

    From Ó Grádaigh, noble; O' often dropped

  • Griffin

    Anglicized Ó Gríobhtha, griffin-like

H

  • Halloran

    From Ó hAllmhuráin, stranger from overseas

  • Hanley

    From Ó hÁinle, possibly handsome

  • Hanlon

    From Ó hAnluain, great champion

  • Hayes

    Anglicized Ó hAodha, fire

  • Healy

    From Ó hÉalaighthe, possibly ingenious

  • Hennessy

    From Ó hAonghusa, descendant of Angus

  • Hickey

    From Ó hÍcí, healer

  • Higgins

    From Ó hUigín, possibly knowledge or Viking

  • Hogan

    From Ó hÓgáin, young

  • Horan

    From Ó hOdhráin, dun-colored

  • Hughes

    Anglicized Ó hAodha, fire, in many Irish families

  • Hurley

    From Ó hUrthuile, of uncertain meaning

J

  • Joyce

    Welsh-Norman family, from Breton Iodoc, lord

K

  • Kane

    From Ó Catháin, battle; also spelled Keane

  • Kavanagh

    From Caomhánach, follower of Saint Caomhán

  • Keane

    From Ó Catháin, battle

  • Kearney

    From Ó Cearnaigh, victorious

  • Kearns

    Anglicized Ó Céirín, possibly dark

  • Keating

    Norman-Irish surname of uncertain origin

  • Keegan

    From Mac Aodhagáin, fire

  • Keenan

    From Ó Cianáin, ancient

  • Kehoe

    Anglicized Mac Eochaidh, horse; variant of Keogh

  • Kelly

    From Ó Ceallaigh, possibly bright-headed or troublesome

  • Kennedy

    From Ó Cinnéide, helmeted or rough head

  • Kenny

    From Ó Cionaoith, possibly fire-sprung

  • Keogh

    From Mac Eochaidh, horse

  • Kerrigan

    From Ó Ciaragáin, dark or black-haired

  • Kiely

    From Ó Cadhla, graceful

  • Kilkenny

    From Mac Giolla Chainnigh, servant of Saint Canice

  • Kinsella

    From Cinnsealach, possibly proud

  • Kirwan

    From Ó Ciardhubháin, dark black

L

  • Lacey

    Norman-Irish de Lacy, from Lassy in Normandy

  • Lawlor

    From Ó Leathlobhair, possibly half sick

  • Leahy

    From Ó Laochdha, heroic

  • Lennon

    From Ó Leannáin, possibly cloak or lover

  • Lynch

    From Ó Loingsigh, mariner, or Norman de Lench

M

  • Madden

    From Ó Madáin, little dog

  • Maguire

    From Mag Uidhir, dun-colored or sallow

  • Maher

    From Ó Meachair, hospitable

  • Mahoney

    From Ó Mathúna, bear; also O'Mahony

  • Malone

    From Ó Maoil Eoin, devotee of Saint John

  • Manning

    Anglicized Ó Mainnín, of uncertain meaning

  • McAuliffe

    From Mac Amhlaoibh, son of Olaf

  • McBride

    From Mac Giolla Bhríde, son of Brigid's servant

  • McCabe

    From Mac Cába, cape or hood

  • McCaffrey

    From Mac Gafraidh, son of Godfrey

  • McCann

    From Mac Anna, of uncertain meaning

  • McCarthy

    From Mac Cárthaigh, loving

  • McCormick

    From Mac Cormaic, son of Cormac

  • McDermott

    From Mac Diarmada, free from envy

  • McDonnell

    From Mac Domhnaill, world ruler

  • McDonough

    From Mac Donnchadha, brown warrior

  • McElroy

    From Mac Giolla Rua, son of the red-haired lad

  • McGee

    From Mag Aoidh, son of Aodh, fire

  • McGovern

    From Mag Samhradháin, summer

  • McGowan

    From Mac Gabhann, son of the smith

  • McGrath

    From Mac Craith, son of grace

  • McGuinness

    From Mag Aonghusa, son of Angus

  • McGuire

    American spelling of Maguire, dun-colored or sallow

  • McHugh

    From Mac Aodha, son of Aodh, fire

  • McKenna

    From Mac Cionaoith, son of Cionaodh

  • McKeown

    From Mac Eoghain, son of Eoghan

  • McLaughlin

    From Mac Lochlainn, son of the Norseman

  • McMahon

    From Mac Mathúna, son of the bear

  • McManus

    From Mac Maghnuis, son of Magnus

  • McNally

    From Mac an Fhailghigh, son of the poor man

  • McNamara

    From Mac Conmara, hound of the sea

  • McNulty

    From Mac an Ultaigh, son of the Ulsterman

  • Meehan

    From Ó Miadhacháin, honorable

  • Molloy

    From Ó Maolmhuaidh, noble chief

  • Monaghan

    From Ó Manacháin, monk

  • Mooney

    From Ó Maonaigh, wealthy

  • Moran

    From Ó Móráin, great

  • Moriarty

    From Ó Muircheartaigh, skilled navigator

  • Morrissey

    From Ó Muirgheasa, sea choice, or Norman de Marisco

  • Moynihan

    From Ó Muimhneacháin, Munsterman

  • Mulcahy

    From Ó Maolchathaigh, devotee of Cathach

  • Mullen

    From Ó Maoláin, bald or tonsured

  • Mulligan

    From Ó Maolagáin, possibly little bald one

  • Murphy

    From Ó Murchadha, sea warrior

  • Murray

    From Ó Muireadhaigh, lord or seaman

  • Murtagh

    From Ó Muircheartaigh, skilled navigator

N

  • Nagle

    Norman-Irish de Angulo, of the angle

  • Nolan

    From Ó Nualláin, famous or noble

  • Noonan

    From Ó Nuanáin, of uncertain meaning

  • Nugent

    Norman-Irish, from Nogent in France

O

  • O'Brien

    From Ó Briain, descendant of Brian, possibly noble

  • O'Callaghan

    From Ó Ceallacháin, possibly bright-headed

  • O'Connell

    From Ó Conaill, strong as a wolf

  • O'Connor

    From Ó Conchobhair, lover of hounds

  • O'Donnell

    From Ó Domhnaill, world mighty

  • O'Dwyer

    From Ó Duibhir, dark

  • O'Grady

    From Ó Grádaigh, noble or illustrious

  • O'Hara

    From Ó hEaghra, descendant of Eaghra

  • O'Keefe

    From Ó Caoimh, gentle or kind

  • O'Leary

    From Ó Laoghaire, calf herder

  • O'Malley

    From Ó Máille, possibly noble

  • O'Mara

    From Ó Meadhra, merry

  • O'Neill

    From Ó Néill, champion or cloud

  • O'Reilly

    From Ó Raghallaigh, possibly outgoing

  • O'Rourke

    From Ó Ruairc, famous king

  • O'Shea

    From Ó Séaghdha, possibly fine or hawklike

  • O'Toole

    From Ó Tuathail, ruler of the people

P

  • Phelan

    From Ó Faoláin, wolf; variant of Whelan

  • Power

    Norman-Irish le Poer, the poor one

Q

  • Quigley

    From Ó Coigligh, possibly untidy

  • Quinn

    From Ó Cuinn, chief or wise

R

  • Rafferty

    From Ó Raithbheartaigh, possibly prosperous

  • Regan

    From Ó Riagáin, possibly little king

  • Reilly

    From Ó Raghallaigh, possibly outgoing; O' often dropped

  • Riordan

    From Ó Ríordáin, royal poet

  • Roche

    Norman-Irish, meaning rock

  • Rooney

    From Ó Ruanaidh, champion

  • Rourke

    Anglicized Ó Ruairc, famous king, with O' dropped

  • Ryan

    From Ó Riain, possibly little king

S

  • Scanlon

    From Ó Scannláin, possibly contentious

  • Scully

    From Ó Scolaidhe, scholar

  • Shaughnessy

    From Ó Seachnasaigh, possibly elusive

  • Shea

    Anglicized Ó Séaghdha with the O' dropped

  • Sheehan

    From Ó Síocháin, peaceful

  • Sheridan

    From Ó Sirideáin, seeker

  • Slattery

    From Ó Slatara, strong or bold

  • Sullivan

    Anglicized Ó Súilleabháin, possibly dark-eyed; O' often dropped

  • Sweeney

    From Mac Suibhne, pleasant

T

  • Tierney

    From Ó Tighearnaigh, lord

  • Tobin

    Norman-Irish, from de St Aubyn

  • Tracy

    From Ó Treasaigh, warlike

  • Tully

    From Ó Taithligh, peaceful

W

  • Walsh

    From Breathnach, Welshman

  • Ward

    From Mac an Bhaird, son of the bard

  • Whelan

    From Ó Faoláin, wolf

Generate random irish american surnames

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Results (6)

  • McDonnell

    From Mac Domhnaill, world ruler

    Irish

  • Keegan

    From Mac Aodhagáin, fire

    Irish

  • Geraghty

    From Mag Oireachtaigh, member of an assembly

    Irish

  • McBride

    From Mac Giolla Bhríde, son of Brigid's servant

    Irish

  • Costello

    From Mac Oisdealbhaigh, a Norman-Irish family

    Irish

  • Tierney

    From Ó Tighearnaigh, lord

    Irish

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    Where Irish American last names came from

    Most Irish American families descend from emigrants who left between the 1820s and the 1920s, with the largest wave during and after the Great Famine of 1845 to 1852. Those famine emigrants arrived in Boston, New York and Philadelphia decades before Ellis Island opened in 1892, landing at Castle Garden or directly on the docks. Their names were already in English form, since centuries of English rule and record keeping had anglicised Gaelic names long before anyone boarded a ship.

    Anglicisation often reshaped a name completely. Ó Súilleabháin became Sullivan, Mac Cárthaigh became McCarthy, Ó Dubhghaill became Doyle and Ó Maolmhuaidh became Molloy. Many families dropped the O and Mac altogether, which is why American records show Neill or Connell where cousins in Ireland later restored O'Neill and O'Connell during the Gaelic Revival of the late nineteenth century. That revival came after the biggest emigration waves, so American branches often kept the shorter forms.

    The most familiar Irish family names in America

    Murphy, Kelly, Sullivan, Walsh, O'Brien, Ryan, McCarthy, Doyle, Kennedy and Quinn are among the names Americans most readily recognise as Irish. Murphy means sea warrior, Kelly is linked to words for bright-headed or troublesome, Sullivan probably means dark-eyed, and Kennedy means ugly head or helmeted head. Walsh, meaning Welshman, and Burke, Fitzgerald and Power come from Anglo-Norman settlers who arrived in the twelfth century and became thoroughly Irish.

    Because emigrants tended to follow relatives, some American cities developed their own Irish flavour. Names from Cork and Kerry, such as Sullivan, McCarthy and Donovan, are prominent in Boston. When you trace a family, the county of origin is often recorded on a naturalisation paper, a gravestone or a Catholic parish register, and finding it opens up Irish records such as Griffith's Valuation and the church registers of the home parish.

    Irish American last names for fiction and research

    For fiction, an Irish name signals time and place quickly. A police officer in 1920s New York or a ward boss in Boston fits the familiar picture, but Irish Americans also built railroads, ran unions, taught in parish schools and served in every war. Choose a less expected name, such as Nolan, Hurley, Tierney or Keane, and pair it with fitting first names: Bridget, Patrick and Michael for immigrants, Kevin or Colleen for later generations.

    For research, remember that spelling was fluid. The same family might be Reilly, Riley or O'Reilly in different records, and the O was often added back in America in the twentieth century as Irish identity became a point of pride. Scots-Irish names such as Patterson or Crawford belong to a separate, mostly Protestant migration that came earlier and settled in the backcountry rather than in northern cities, so they tell a different story.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which Irish American last names are the most common?

    Murphy, Kelly, Sullivan, Walsh, O'Brien, Ryan, McCarthy, Doyle, Kennedy and Quinn are among the most frequent. Several of them are common across the whole United States, not just in Irish communities, because Irish immigration was so large in the nineteenth century and families spread across the country.

    Why did some Irish families drop the O or Mac?

    Under English rule, Gaelic prefixes were discouraged in official records, and many families had stopped using them by the eighteenth century. Emigrants often arrived with the shortened form. During the Gaelic Revival many families in Ireland restored the prefix, and some Irish Americans did the same later, which is why records disagree.

    Were Irish names changed at Ellis Island?

    No. Most Irish emigrants came before Ellis Island opened in 1892, and in any case inspectors there copied names from passenger lists. Irish names were already in English spelling when families left Ireland. Changes in America were usually small, such as switching between Reilly and Riley, and were made by the families themselves.

    Is Mc Irish and Mac Scottish?

    That is a popular myth. Both Mac and Mc mean son of and appear in both countries. Mc is simply an abbreviation used by clerks and printers. Plenty of Irish families use Mac and plenty of Scottish families use Mc, so the form of the prefix proves nothing about where a family came from.

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