Traditional Irish names; naming conventions; most popular Irish last names and most favored first names
Something about Irish names – both first and last names – intrigues people from all backgrounds around the globe, not just those with direct connections to Ireland.
Mention of Celts can make people recall their remarkable heritage of myths and folklore, exquisite art and music productions and Gaelic.
Irish (which is more commonly referred to as Gaelic in Ireland) yielded many striking surnames such as Conn Cetchathach, Eochaid Iarlaithe, Cormac Mac Airt and Ruaidri Ua Canannain – each one an irresistibly expressive epithet!
History may only remember these names of Celts as historical figures, but even everyday Celts would likely have had equally colourful nicknames and handles during their lives if they hadn’t spent most of it engaging in thrilling adventures or fighting off aggressors.
Celtic culture ruled Ireland until the 18th century. They played an essential part of this cultural landscape.
Only later did its light begin to dim, as you can witness in the histories of first and last names in Ireland (links below).
Explore Ireland’s heritage through learning more about your ancestry! It will make for an engaging subject.
Irish Surnames
A brief history of Irish last names including an explanation of O and Mc. Our twenty most commonly occurring Irish surnames from 1850 through present can also be seen. Additionally, here is a random collection of 10 more Irish family names with their meanings and frequencies from each era.
An exploration of the Irish surname Ryan in Ireland and across the globe. Whilst studying Irish last name Hennessy closely. Can anyone explain why Irish Power became plural in America?
Where did Brady originate and what does its meaning entail? Last name Rooney? We are champions!
Higgins is an ancient Gaelic surname; just you wait, Henry Higgins.
Irish baby boy names N-Z are common or rare and each name carries with it its own story and meaning.
Irish Baby Girl Names A-D: Definition, History and Usage E-M: Includes names of fiercely strong women who made history. Finally N-Z are traditional Irish female names used today.
Miscellaneous articles regarding Irish names.
Northern Ireland’s top names of recent years. Top Irish boy names for 2021 in the Republic.
First names introduced with civil registration being introduced 1864 (exclusive Toolkit research!).
History of traditional Irish names from their Celtic origins through 19th-century decline and modern revival can be found below, along with Irish naming conventions/patterns.
Historical Irish Naming Conventions Acknowledging traditional naming conventions can be invaluable to Irish family historians; just remember that not all families complied with them regularly.
However, most 18th and 19th century families followed tradition when giving names to newborn children, leading them to use similar ones again and again throughout generations.
Although researching your ancestors can cause some initial confusion, having multiple families share the same surname can provide valuable clues on which first names may have been used by each.
Modern Irish Naming Patterns
Though this practice has long since been discontinued, it is remarkable to think that even up until relatively recently it was still commonplace.
My grandfather Edmond Tierney, born 1903, and his nine siblings were baptised in accordance with convention (he being named after his maternal grandfather Edmond Tobin as second son), but when it came time for them to start having families of their own in the 1930s and 40s there was some variation from this pattern.