A name can tell us a lot about our family, especially an Irish surname, of which there are many in America. With many Americans claiming Irish ancestry, It’s no wonder that there are many Irish surnames you will hear across the pond.
Between 1820 and 1930, during the Great Famine of Ireland, groups of Irish immigrants left their homeland in search of a better life, and many headed to the Land of the Free. This means that there are now many Irish surnames in America.
These Irish people travelled straight to the East Coast, but eventually further on, which means that there are Irish descendants spread all over the fifty states.
Irish culture is very prominent to this day in places such as New York and Boston. The huge mass emigration left the Irish population without 25% of its citizens and played a huge role in Irish history.
One of the biggest reasons for Americans to visit Ireland is not only for the amazing culture that they just love but also to trace their family history. As we know, the best place to start is with a last name.
A whopping 33 million Americans claim Irish heritage, especially in the historic enclaves of the United States’ northeast.
Although there have been many variations of such names, which came about through cross border travel, it is still quite common to hear traditional Irish surnames in the USA. So, with that in mind, let us take a look at the top 20 Irish surnames in America.
20. O’Donnell − world rulers
Noteworthy American with this name: Rosie O’Donnell
Pronounced ‘O-Don-el’.
19. Cahill − the son of Cathal
Noteworthy American with this name: Erin Cahill
Pronounced ‘Ca-Hill’.
18. Moran − a descendant of Moran
Noteworthy American with this name: Erin Marie Moran
Pronounced ‘More-An’.
17. O’Hara − descendant of Eaghra
Noteworthy honorary American with this name: Maureen O Hara
Pronounced ‘O-Har-Ah’.
16. O’Neill/O’Neal − champion
Noteworthy American with this name: Shaquill O’Neal
Pronounced ‘Oh-Kneel’.
15. Collins − a medieval name originally ‘Ua Cuilein‘
Noteworthy American with this name: Judy Collins
Pronounced ‘Call-Ins’.
14. O’Reilly/Reilly − courageous and valiant
Noteworthy American with this name: John C. Reilly
This stereotypically Irish surname is pronounced ‘Oh-Rye-Lee’.
13. Fitzpatrick − the translation of ‘Mac Giolla Phaidraig’
Noteworthy American with this name: Richard Fitzpatrick
Pronounced ‘Fitz-Pah-Trick’.
12. Walsh − meaning Briton or foreigner
Noteworthy American with this name: Brendan Walsh
Pronounced ‘Wall-Sh’. The vast majority of Walshes on immigration passenger lists came to the United States from Ireland.
11. Ryan − little King
Noteworthy American with this name: Meg Ryan
Pronounced ‘Rye-An’. Ryan is another popular Irish family name in America and across the world.
10. Sullivan − hawk-eyed/one-eyed hawk
Noteworthy American with this name: Michael J Sullivan
Pronounced ‘Sull-Iv-An’.
9. O’Brien − eminent person
Noteworthy American with this name: Conan O’Brien
Pronounced ‘Oh-Bry-An’. O’Brien is one of the most popular Irish surnames in America.
8. O’Connor − the hound of desire
Noteworthy American with this name: Flannery O’Connor
Pronounced ‘Oh-Con-Ur’.
7. O’Connell − hound or wolf
Noteworthy American with this name: Jerry O’Connell
Pronounced ‘Oh-Cawn-El’.
6 Reagan − little King
Noteworthy American with this name: Ronald Reagan
Pronounced ‘Ree-Gen’.
5. Kelly − brave warrior
Noteworthy American with this name: Gene Kelly
Pronounced ‘Kel-Lee’.
4. Doyle − The dark stranger
Noteworthy American with this name: Glennon Doyle
Pronounced ‘Doy-el’.
3. Fitzgerald − the son of Gerald
Noteworthy American with this name: Ella Fitzgerald
Pronounced ‘Fitz-Ger-Ald’.
2. Murphy − sea warrior
Noteworthy American with this name: Eddie Murphy
Pronounced ‘Mur-Fee’. According to the Central Statistics Office, Murphy is the most common surname in both Ireland and America.
1. Kennedy − fierce head
Noteworthy American with this name: John F. Kennedy
Pronounced ‘Ken-Eddy’.
These 20 Irish surnames in America are just a few of a long list, and there are many more names that claim to have Irish heritage.
Over the years in America and throughout the world, Irish surnames changed in transit, many of the surnames with Mc, Mac or O were dropped, leaving just one singular last name.
As well as this, you’ll notice that some traditional Irish names are now spelt in a different way since crossing the Atlantic, and one of the most common reasons was to prevent mispronunciation, such as Riley, Reagan, as well as Neal.
It goes without saying that the Irish heritage lives on in the USA and the names on our 20 Irish surnames in America list are just one of the reasons for this.
Other notable mentions
Dylan O’Brien: Dylan O’Brien is one of many famous people with the prominent surname of Irish origin, O’Brien.
Butler: Although a name of Anglo-French origin, the surname was brought from Ireland to America during mass immigration. The name in Irish is ‘de Buitléir’.
Doyle: There are over 100,000 people with the surname Doyle in America.
FAQs about Irish surnames in America
What is the most common Irish surname in America?
According to statistics, Murphy is the most common Irish surname in America.
What does ‘Mac’ mean in Irish surnames?
The “Mac” prefix translates to “the son of” and is commonly seen in Irish surnames, as well as Scottish.
What is the oldest Irish surname?
The oldest known Irish surname is O’Clery (O Cleirigh in Gaelic). It was written in the year 916 A.D. that the lord of Aidhne, Tigherneach Ua Cleirigh, died in County Galway. It is thought that this Irish last name might, in fact, be the oldest surname in Europe!
