198+ Irish Last Names With Meanings

Irish surnames are among the most evocative in the world, carrying the history of ancient clans, fierce warriors, and a resilient island spirit. Rooted in the Gaelic language, these names often feature the prefixes O’ (meaning “grandson of”) or Mac (meaning “son of”), serving as a direct lineage to a common ancestor.

In 2026, as the global Irish diaspora continues to explore its roots, these 198+ Irish last names provide a deep connection to the emerald hills, rugged coasts, and bardic traditions of the Atlantic isle.

The Emerald Registry: A to Z

A to D – From Abbots to Dark Strangers

1. Ahearn – Meaning “Lord of horses.”
2. Amory – Meaning “Leader” or “Powerful.”
3. Barrett – Meaning “Warlike” or “Trader.”
4. Barry – Meaning “Spearman” or “Fair-haired.”
5. Behan – Meaning “Bee-keeper.”
6. Bermingham – Meaning “From the English settlement” (Hiberno-Norman).
7. Blair – Meaning “From the plain.”
8. Boland – Meaning “Small poet.”
9. Boylan – Meaning “Flanker” or “Pledger.”
10. Boyle – Meaning “Vain pledge.”
11. Brady – Meaning “Spirited” or “Broad.”
12. Breen – Meaning “Sorrow” or “Drop.”
13. Brennan – Meaning “Little drop.”
14. Breslin – Meaning “Brace” or “Vigor.”
15. Brogan – Meaning “Small shoe.”
16. Brosnan – Meaning “From the Brosna river.”
17. Browne – Meaning “Dark-haired.”
18. Buckley – Meaning “Boy” or “Herdsman.”
19. Burke – Meaning “From the fortified hill.”
20. Butler – Meaning “Wine steward.”
21. Byrne – Meaning “Raven.”
22. Caffrey – Meaning “Helmet.”
23. Callaghan – Meaning “Bright-headed.”
24. Campbell – Meaning “Crooked mouth.”
25. Carey – Meaning “Dark” or “Black.”
26. Carmody – Meaning “Black dog.”
27. Carney – Meaning “Victorious.”
28. Carroll – Meaning “Valiant in battle.”
29. Casey – Meaning “Vigilant” or “Watchful.”
30. Cassidy – Meaning “Clever” or “Curly-haired.”
31. Cavanagh – Meaning “Follower of Kevin.”
32. Clancy – Meaning “Red-haired warrior.”
33. Cleary – Meaning “Scholar” or “Clerk.”
34. Coghlan – Meaning “Cape” or “Hood.”
35. Colgan – Meaning “Little sword.”
36. Collins – Meaning “Young hound.”
37. Conlan – Meaning “Hero.”
38. Connelly – Meaning “Valiant.”
39. Connolly – Variant of Connelly.
40. Connor – Meaning “Lover of hounds.”
41. Conway – Meaning “Yellow hound.”
42. Cooney – Meaning “Rabbit.”
43. Corcoran – Meaning “Ruddy-faced.”
44. Costello – Meaning “Son of Oisdealbh.”
45. Coughlan – Meaning “Hooded one.”
46. Cregan – Meaning “Rocky place.”
47. Cronin – Meaning “Saffron-colored.”
48. Crowley – Meaning “Hardy warrior.”
49. Cullen – Meaning “Holly tree.”
50. Cunningham – Meaning “Chief’s village.”
51. Curran – Meaning “Hero” or “Little spear.”
52. Daley – Meaning “Assembly” or “Gathering.”
53. Darcy – Meaning “Dark one.”
54. Dempsey – Meaning “Proud.”
55. Doherty – Meaning “Obstructive.”
56. Dolan – Meaning “Black-haired.”
57. Donnelly – Meaning “Dark brave one.”
58. Donoghue – Meaning “Brown warrior.”
59. Donovan – Meaning “Dark brown prince.”
60. Dooley – Meaning “Dark hero.”
61. Doran – Meaning “Exile” or “Wanderer.”
62. Dowling – Meaning “Dark challenger.”
63. Doyle – Meaning “Dark stranger.”
64. Duffy – Meaning “Dark man.”
65. Duggan – Meaning “Dark-colored.”
66. Dunne – Meaning “Brown” or “Dark.”
67. Dwyer – Meaning “Black-haired.”

E to M – From Envoys to Marshals

1. Eagan – Meaning “Little fire.”
2. Ennis – Meaning “Island.”
3. Fagan – Meaning “Little ardent one.”
4. Fahey – Meaning “From the green field.”
5. Fallon – Meaning “Leader” or “Superior.”
6. Farrell – Meaning “Man of valor.”
7. Finnegan – Meaning “Fair.”
8. Fitzgerald – Meaning “Son of Gerald.”
9. Fitzpatrick – Meaning “Son of Patrick.”
10. Fitzsimmons – Meaning “Son of Simon.”
11. Flaherty – Meaning “Bright ruler.”
12. Flanagan – Meaning “Ruddy-complexioned.”
13. Fleming – Meaning “Man from Flanders.”
14. Flynn – Meaning “Ruddy.”
15. Fogarty – Meaning “Banished.”
16. Foley – Meaning “Plunderer.”
17. Gallagher – Meaning “Foreign helper.”
18. Gannon – Meaning “Fair-haired.”
19. Garvey – Meaning “Rough peace.”
20. Gaughan – Meaning “Short.”
21. Geary – Meaning “Sharp.”
22. Geraghty – Meaning “Of the assembly.”
23. Gillen – Meaning “Servant of St. John.”
24. Gleeson – Meaning “Bright.”
25. Glynn – Meaning “From the valley.”
26. Gormley – Meaning “Blue/Dark person.”
27. Grady – Meaning “Noble.”
28. Griffin – Meaning “Descendant of Griffith.”
29. Guinan – Meaning “Fair one.”
30. Hanley – Meaning “Champion.”
31. Hannon – Meaning “Grandson of Anann.”
32. Hanrahan – Meaning “Meritorious.”
33. Hart – Meaning “Hero” or “Deer.”
34. Harty – Meaning “Strong.”
35. Haughey – Meaning “Horseman.”
36. Healy – Meaning “Ingenious.”
37. Hegarty – Meaning “Unjust.”
38. Hennessy – Meaning “Descendant of Angus.”
39. Higgins – Meaning “Viking” or “Knowledge.”
40. Hogan – Meaning “Young.”
41. Horan – Meaning “Beloved.”
42. Houlihan – Meaning “Grandson of the merry one.”
43. Hurley – Meaning “Sea tide.”
44. Hynes – Meaning “Servant of the saint.”
45. Jordan – Meaning “Descendant of Jordan.”
46. Joyce – Meaning “Merry.”
47. Kane – Meaning “Battle.”
48. Kavanagh – Meaning “Student of St. Kevin.”
49. Keane – Meaning “Ancient” or “Sharp.”
50. Kearney – Meaning “Victorious.”
51. Keating – Meaning “The kite.”
52. Keefe – Meaning “Noble” or “Gentle.”
53. Kelleher – Meaning “Lover of hawks.”
54. Kelly – Meaning “War” or “Striving.”
55. Kennedy – Meaning “Helmet-headed.”
56. Kenny – Meaning “Fire-sprung.”
57. Keogh – Meaning “Horseman.”
58. Kiely – Meaning “Beautiful.”
59. Kieran – Meaning “Dark-haired.”
60. Kilmartin – Meaning “Church of Martin.”
61. Kilpatrick – Meaning “Servant of Patrick.”
62. Lacy – Meaning “From Lassy.”
63. Lally – Meaning “Leader.”
64. Larkin – Meaning “Rough” or “Fierce.”
65. Lawlor – Meaning “Mutterer.”
66. Leahy – Meaning “From the wet meadow.”
67. Lonergan – Meaning “Fierce.”
68. Loughlin – Meaning “Land of lakes.”
69. Lowry – Meaning “Laurel-crowned.”
70. Lynch – Meaning “Seafarer.”
71. Lyons – Meaning “Son of the gray one.”
72. Madden – Meaning “Little dog.”
73. Maguire – Meaning “Pale one.”
74. Maher – Meaning “Generous.”
75. Mahoney – Meaning “Bear.”
76. Malone – Meaning “Servant of St. John.”
77. Maloney – Meaning “Servant of Sunday.”
78. McAuliffe – Meaning “Son of Olaf.”
79. McCann – Meaning “Son of the wolf.”
80. McCarthy – Meaning “Loving person.”
81. McCloskey – Meaning “Son of the victory of the people.”
82. McCormack – Meaning “Son of Cormac.”
83. McDermott – Meaning “Son of Diarmuid” (Free man).
84. McDonald – Meaning “Son of Donald.”
85. McDonough – Meaning “Son of Donnchadh” (Brown warrior).
86. McEvoy – Meaning “Son of the yellow lad.”
87. McGrath – Meaning “Son of grace.”
88. McGuinness – Meaning “Son of Angus.”
89. McLoughlin – Meaning “Son of the lake land.”
90. McMahon – Meaning “Son of the bear.”
91. McManus – Meaning “Son of Magnus.”
92. McNamara – Meaning “Son of the sea-hound.”
93. McNally – Meaning “Son of the poor man.”
94. McSweeney – Meaning “Son of the pleasant one.”
95. Meagher – Meaning “Generous/Hospitable.”
96. Meehan – Meaning “The small noble one.”
97. Molloy – Meaning “Proud chieftain.”
98. Monaghan – Meaning “Monk.”
99. Mooney – Meaning “Wealthy.”
100. Moran – Meaning “Great one.”
101. Moriarty – Meaning “Navigator” or “Expert mariner.”
102. Mullan – Meaning “Hilltop.”
103. Mulligan – Meaning “Bald.”
104. Murphy – Meaning “Sea warrior” (Most common Irish name).
105. Murray – Meaning “Lord” or “Seafarer.”

N to Z – From Nobles to Valiant Spirits

1. Naughton – Meaning “Pure.”
2. Neville – Meaning “New town.”
3. Nolan – Meaning “Famous” or “Noble.”
4. Noonan – Meaning “Beloved.”
5. O’Brien – Meaning “Noble” or “Strong.”
6. O’Connell – Meaning “Strong as a wolf.”
7. O’Connor – Meaning “Patron of warriors.”
8. O’Donnell – Meaning “World ruler.”
9. O’Hara – Meaning “Grandson of Eaghra.”
10. O’Leary – Meaning “Keeper of calves.”
11. O’Malley – Meaning “Prince.”
12. O’Neill – Meaning “Champion.”
13. O’Reilly – Meaning “Valiant.”
14. O’Shea – Meaning “Stately” or “Majestic.”
15. O’Sullivan – Meaning “Dark-eyed.”
16. Power – Meaning “The poor man” (Ironically).
17. Prendergast – Meaning “From the castle forest.”
18. Quigley – Meaning “Untidy hair.”
19. Quill – Meaning “Hazel tree.”
20. Quinn – Meaning “Chief.”
21. Rafferty – Meaning “Prosperous.”
22. Regan – Meaning “Little King.”
23. Riordan – Meaning “Royal poet.”
24. Rooney – Meaning “Champion.”
25. Ryan – Meaning “Little King.”
26. Scanlon – Meaning “Little trap.”
27. Sexton – Meaning “Guardian of the church.”
28. Sheehy – Meaning “Peaceful.”
29. Sheridan – Meaning “Wild man.”
30. Sweeney – Meaning “Pleasant.”
31. Tierney – Meaning “Lordly.”
32. Tobin – Meaning “God is good.”
33. Tracey – Meaning “Fighter.”
34. Walsh – Meaning “Welshman” or “Foreigner.”
35. Whelan – Meaning “Wolf.”

The Anatomy of an Irish Surname

Irish names are built on a foundation of kinship and descriptive titles.

1. The Prefixes: O’ vs. Mac

Traditional Gaelic surnames were patronymic, identifying a person by their father or grandfather.

• O’ (Ó): Derived from Ua, meaning “grandson” or “descendant.” It refers to a common ancestor of the clan.
• Mac: Simply means “son.” It was often used to indicate the immediate father’s name.

2. Descriptive Beginnings

Many names originated from physical descriptions or personality traits:

• Color: Bán (white/fair) in Finnegan; Ruadh (red) in Flynn.
• Traits: Láidir (strong); Uasal (noble).

FAQ: Common Questions about Irish Surnames

Summary

From the deep-sea roots of Murphy to the royal echoes of Ryan, Irish surnames capture a broad spectrum of Gaelic resilience. They provide a solid foundation for any genealogical search or character creation. In 2026, these names continue to bridge the gap between ancient clan traditions and modern global Irish identity.