You might be shocked to learn that some of these common Irish surnames actually derive from Vikings.
The Vikings weren’t just raiders who showed up, caused chaos, and left. The Vikings, who came primarily from Norway, arrived on Irish shores centuries ago and founded towns like Dublin, Waterford, Wexford, and Limerick.
They made a lasting impact on Irish culture, trade, and infrastructure. They settled here, making families, and thus leaving their names to carried through to the modern day.
Over time, Norse names blended with Irish ones, softened by Irish spelling and pronunciation, until they felt completely native. Here are ten Irish surnames you might be surprised to learn have Viking roots.
10. Toner – common in Ulster
Toner is the anglicisation of the name Ó Tomhrair. The name is most common in Ulster, in particular in Derry and Armagh.
While it is now a prominent Irish surname, the name actually derives from the Viking name ‘Tomar’, who was the 10th century King of Dublin.
9. McGettrick – from the Norse word for sword
Not a common surname, McGettrick is a surname that has roots in Ireland and Scotland. Those roots appear to have gotten their bearings from the Norse word ‘sitric’, which means sword or knife. A pretty cool origin!
McGettrick is particularly found in County Sligo, as the far west was a Norse Kingdom during the first Millennium.
8. McAuliffe – deriving from Olaf
McAuliffe is the anglicisation of the Irish name Mac Amhlaoibh, meaning son of Amhlaoibh, or Olaf.
Rarely found outside of Munster, with a particular connection to County Cork, Olaf had its influence on this part of Ireland as Viking settlers were said to have integrated with the folks of Newmarket.
7. McManus – from the Norse Magnús
McManus derives from Mac Maghnuis, meaning son of Maghnuis, which comes from the Norse name Magnús.
Magnús means “great”, and it was a popular royal name in Norway, including Magnus the Good, the former King of Norway who died in 1047.
When the name made its way to Ireland, it became Manus, and thus the surname became McManus.
6. McIver – found in Scotland and Ireland
McIver comes from Mac Íomhair, meaning son of ‘Ímar’. ‘Ímar’ is the Irish form of the Old Norse name ‘Ívarr’.
Several powerful Norse leaders in Ireland bore this name, including figures linked to the ‘Uí Ímair’ dynasty, who ruled parts of Ireland and Scotland during the early medieval period.
5. O’Beirne – one of the Irish surnames you probably didn’t know were actually Viking
O’Beirne is an Irish surname that can be traced back to the Old Norse name ‘Björn’, meaning bear.
Over centuries, ‘Björn’ was adapted into Irish phonetics and spelling. The result is a name that feels thoroughly Irish, particularly associated with counties like Roscommon.
4. Higgins – descendant of the Viking
The Irish surname Higgins seems to have come from the Irish Ó hUiginn or the personal name Uiginn, which seems to be linked to the Norse name Vikingr, which means Viking.
The name became particularly common in the west of Ireland. It’s another example of how Norse personal names were reshaped by the Irish language.
Who would have thought that our old beloved former president, Michael D. Higgins would have an Irish surname that’s actually Viking?
3. Doyle – what the Irish called the Vikings
Doyle has one of the most interesting links to the Vikings. It comes from Ó Dubhghaill, meaning “descendant of the dark foreigner”.
In early medieval Ireland, “dark foreigners” typically referred to the Danes, distinguishing them from earlier Norse settlers.
So if you’re a Doyle, your ancestors may quite literally have been labelled Vikings.
2. O’Rourke – from a strong Nordic name
O’Rourke comes from Ó Ruairc. The personal name Ruairc is believed by some scholars to have Norse influence, possibly linked to names like ‘Hrothrekr’.
The O’Rourkes were a powerful ruling family in what was once the Kingdom of Breifne – what is now County Leitrim, County Cavan and parts of other neighbouring counties.
1. McLoughlin/ O’Loughlin – from the land of the Vikings
McLoughlin and O’Loughlin come from Mac Lochlainn and Ó Lochlainn. “Lochlann” was the Irish term for Scandinavia, particularly Norway.
So the name essentially means “descendant of the Norseman” or “from the land of the Vikings”. It doesn’t get much more direct than that.
