102 Irish Last Names and Their Gaelic Origins

Say an Irish surname out loud and you can almost hear the coastline in it. Names like O’Brien, Kelly, and Murphy carry the O and Mac prefixes that mean “descendant of” and “son of,” a Gaelic naming habit that links each family straight back to an ancestor.

This list gathers 102 Irish last names along with what they actually mean and where they come from, from old clan chiefs and saints to trades and nicknames that stuck for generations. Some you will recognize instantly, and a few might surprise you.

Scroll through to trace the story behind each one, and maybe find where your own family tree touches Ireland.

102 Impressive and Inspiring Irish Last Names

Here are 102 of the most popular and culturally significant Irish last names, along with their traditional meanings.

Irish surnames reach far beyond the island itself. In the United States, 38,597,428 people, or 11.6% of the population, claimed full or partial Irish ancestry in the 2020 census ⁽¹⁾. Canada counted 4,627,000 residents with full or partial Irish descent in its 2016 census ⁽²⁾, up from 14% of the national population in the earlier 2006 count.

1. Ahern: Meaning “lord of horses,” Ahern is a rare yet valiant pick among Irish last names for boys.
2. Angus: A typically Gaelic name meaning “one strength,” traditionally spelled Aonghus.
3. Ardan: Meaning “high aspiration,” this stylish yet old Irish surname and given name is perfect for dreamers.
4. Barry: For a “descendant of Beargh,” with the pirate-ready meaning of “plunderer.”
5. Beckett: Brought to Ireland by settlers, this “little brook” surname is best associated with Irish novelist Samuel Beckett.
6. Behan: Denotes a “descendant of Beachain,” a buzz-worthy name meaning “bee.”
7. Bell: This common English surname sure has a nice ring, denoting a “bell ringer.”
8. Boyle: One of the most common surnames in Northern Ireland, perhaps meaning “profitable.”
9. Braden: A fishy surname for a “descendant of Bradán,” meaning “salmon.”
10. Brady: A joyful Irish surname from Ó Brádaigh, meaning “spirited.”
11. Brannigan: Cunning and slightly spooky, this animal-inspired name means “raven.”
12. Brennan: Like Brannigan, Brennan also has the “raven” meaning behind this cool name.
13. Breslin: A fun-sounding Irish surname with the serious meaning of “strife.”
14. Brian: A noble Celtic name used as both a given name and surname, meaning “high” or “noble” and famously borne by High King Brian Boru.
15. Brody: A strong Gaelic surname and given name with the rugged, earthy meaning of “muddy place, ridge.”
16. Brogan: Meaning “shoe,” this Irish surname could perhaps denote a shoemaker.
17. Brophy: Meaning “son of Bróth” after a medieval forename.
18. Brown: This internationally common color surname is frequently heard in Ireland.
19. Buckley: An Irish name meaning “boy,” or an English name meaning “buck lea.”
20. Burke: With Middle English roots, this strong name means “fortress, castle.”
21. Byrne: A strong, confident choice for a “son of Bran,” with Bran meaning “raven.”
22. Cahill: A variant of Cathal, for a family who is “strong in battle.”
23. Callaghan: A handsome surname for a “bright-headed” descendant.
24. Campbell: With Scottish and Northern Irish roots, Campbell has the unique meaning of “crooked mouth.”
25. Caomhánach: An old, traditional, and royal Irish name meaning “friendly, dear, merciful.”
26. Carroll: Or Carrell, from the traditional Irish Ó Cearbhaill, meaning “sharp” or “fierce warrior.”
27. Cassidy: Meaning “curly-haired,” this surname is a popular modern pick.
28. Cathal: A name fit for warriors, meaning “battle ruler” or “strong in war.”
29. Cleary: Used for a “scribe, cleric,” or one descended from someone of this occupation.
30. Comiskey: An anglicized form of Mac Cumascaigh, “son of Cumascach,” a Monaghan sept name tied to the Gaelic word for a forceful or confounding person.
31. Connell: From the given name Conall, meaning “strong wolf,” for families that love nature.
32. Connery: From the Gaelic Ó Conaire, “keeper of the hound,” and best known today through actor Sean Connery.
33. Connolly: For a “descendent of Conghal,” itself with the fierce meaning of “fierce as a hound.”
34. Conroy: Derived from the Irish name Conaire, meaning “hound keeper.”
35. Coulter: Carried to Ulster by Scottish settlers, from the Gaelic cúl tír, “back land,” or the coulter blade of a plough.
36. Coyne: For a “descendant of Cadhan,” after an Irish name meaning “wild goose.”
37. Daly: Or Daley, derived from Ó’Dálaigh, meaning “assembly” or “one who is present at gatherings.”
38. Delaney: A feisty surname and unisex given name with mischievous connotations, meaning “dark and defiant.”
39. Donoghue: An anglicized form of Ó Donnchadha, “descendant of Donnchadh,” from donn (“brown-haired”) and cath (“battle”), so a brown-haired warrior.
40. Donovan: A traditional Gaelic surname from the kingly Donnubán root, meaning “dark.”
41. Doyle: A highly common name for a “dark stranger,” Doyle ranks among the most frequent Irish family names.
42. Driscoll: Meaning “descendant of the news-bearer,” this is a surname worth shouting about.
43. Dubhán: An Old Irish surname meaning “little dark one.”
44. Duffy: A fun pick rooted in the Old Irish Dubthach, meaning “black, dark.”
45. Dunne: Meaning “dark,” Dunne is one of the more mysterious and intriguing Irish family names.
46. Enright: A fiery Irish surname said to mean “attacker.”
47. Farrell: An earthy name derived from the Irish name Ó Fearghail, meaning “man of valor.”
48. Finn: Short, sweet, and simple, with the angelic meaning of “fair.”
49. Finnegan: A fun, upbeat surname meaning “fair-haired.”
50. Finneran: Similarly to Finnegan, Finneran means “fair lord.”
51. Fitzpatrick: For a “son of Patrick,” this makes an amazingly patriotic Irish surname.
52. Flanagan: A quintessential Irish surname with the intense meaning of “blood-red.”
53. Flood: A traditional surname in Ireland, meaning “flood, stream.”
54. Fogarty: From O’Fogartaigh, with the distinct meaning of “banished” or “exiled.”
55. Foley: Another great pick for a family with nautical roots, meaning “plunderer.”
56. Glenn: Or Glyn, an uncommon yet calming name meaning “from the valley” in Irish.
57. Guinness: A globally recognized name, a shortened form of Magennis or McGuinness, meaning “son of Angus.”
58. Halligan: An especially radiant pick for a “descendant of Áilleagán,” meaning “beautiful” or “handsome.”
59. Hennessey: A friendly-sounding name for someone of Irish descent, derived from the same stem as Angus.
60. Kavanagh: Or Kavanaugh, both recognizable variations of the traditional Irish Caomhánach.
61. Keating: A handsome English and Irish surname, perhaps meaning “kite.”
62. Keller: An Irish name possibly meaning “companion” and “cellar” as a German surname.
63. Kelly: This second-most common Irish surname shines with its meaning of “bright-headed warrior.”
64. Lalor: Meaning “leper” or “weak person,” this traditional surname carries a humble origin story.
65. Lynch: Meaning “descendant of Loingseach,” itself a given name meaning “mariner” or “ship owner.”
66. Magennis: Meaning “son of Angus,” Magennis is a strong and traditional Irish clan name.
67. Mahoney: Meaning “descendant of the bear,” this name carries a commanding yet cuddly presence.
68. McCarthy: A beautifully touching tribute to a name, meaning “son of the loving one.”
69. McGuinness: A commonly-heard variant of Magennis, also meaning “son of Angus.”
70. Minogue: A celebrity surname meaning “descendant of Muineog,” itself a given name meaning “monk.”
71. Molloy: A family name to carry with pride, descended from a “proud chieftain.”
72. Mooney: Sounds like “money” for a reason, as this cool Gaelic name means “descendant of the wealthy.”
73. Moriarty: A much-shorter alternative to the traditional Ó Muircheartaigh, meaning “navigator” or “sea-skilled.”
74. Morrigan: If you like names meaning death, this mythological goddess of suffering makes a chilling namesake.
75. Morris: Popular in southern Ireland, this cool name fits a family “of the marsh.”
76. Muir: Few Irish surnames are as outdoorsy and adventurous as Muir, meaning “sea” in Gaelic.
77. Munro: A Scottish name, yet used to refer to a “man from the River Roe” in Northern Ireland.
78. Murphy: The most frequently-found Irish surname, carries the epic meaning of “sea warrior.”
79. Murray: From the Gaelic Ó Muireadhaigh, “descendant of Muireadhach,” a sea-linked name, and also a Scottish name for the Moray region.
80. Nevin: A cute Irish and Scottish surname meaning “little saint” or “little bone.”
81. Nolan: Meaning “noble” or “famous,” this name commands respect.
82. O’Brien: One of the most aristocratic of Irish family names, meaning “hill, high, noble.”
83. O’Clery: One of the oldest Irish surnames meaning “secretary, scribe,” like the similar variant Cleary.
84. O’Connor: A commonly-heard variant from the Irish Conor stem, meaning “lover of hounds” or “wolf.”
85. O’Keeffe: A clan name derived from the word “caomh,” meaning “kind” or “gentle.”
86. O’Neill: For a “descendant of Niall,” this common surname is rooted in the Irish name meaning “champion.”
87. O’Reilly: Like Reilly, this is a common name derived from the traditional Irish Ó Raghailligh.
88. O’Sullivan: Meaning “dark eyes” or “hawk-eyed,” a popular pick among Irish Americans.
89. O’Toole: A classic surname derived from the Irish given name Túathal, meaning “prince of the people.”
90. Patrick: Borne by the patron saint of Ireland, this noble Latin name means “nobleman” or “ruler.”
91. Quinn: A unisex Irish given name and surname derived from Conn, meaning “chief.”
92. Reilly: With O’Reilly, one of the most popular Irish surnames, perhaps meaning “sociable” or “extroverted.”
93. Ryan: A highly common Irish surname and given name for a “descendant of Rian,” meaning “little king.”
94. Shannon: A great locational name and surname with the beautiful meanings of “wise river” or “skilled storyteller.”
95. Shay: A cool variation of the Irish surname Shea, also possessing Hebrew roots.
96. Shea: A modern-sounding, earthy surname for a “learned” or “favorable” family.
97. Sheridan: A strong, historic name meaning “descendant of the searcher.”
98. Smith: An occupational surname meaning “blacksmith,” highly prevalent in Ireland and English-speaking countries.
99. Sullivan: Meaning “dark eyes,” this cool name holds quite the allure.
100. Sweeney: A notable clan name meaning “descendant of Suibhne,” translating to “pleasant.”
101. Tracy: Meaning “fighter,” a great pick among British and Irish family names for resilient families.
102. Walsh: A top five most common Irish surname, meaning “foreigner,” historically referring to a “Welshman.”

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