Irish Identity

Where your folk
came from

Bacon Not pertaining to any particular part of Ireland and nowadays a rare name. Of Anglo-Norman extraction. Not surprisingly the history of the clan is associated with those charged with the keeping of pigs.	Bagnall An English toponymic which first appeared in Ireland in the sixteenth century. Mainly associated with the midlands, especially Carlow where the clan gave its name to Bagenalstown. Also common in Westmeath.
Bailey An English name whose presence in Ireland can be traced back to the 12th century. Can be spelt Bailie also. Found mostly along the east coast.	Baird Found almost exclusively in the north-east of Ireland, especially in south Antrim. The name of a clan in Scotland.
Baker Quite common in all four provinces of Ireland but particularly numerous in Munster. Unsurprisingly the name is thought to have emanated in England and to have derived from the activity of making bread.	Balfe Found principally in north Leinster. An immigrant name - thought to originate in Germany - boasting a presence in Ireland going back some six hundred years. See Kildare-Meath.
Ball Most common in Ulster, especially Tyrone, but also represented in Leinster. English in origin.	Ballagh A version of the Gaelic word ballach meaning marked. Confined mainly to Co. Dublin now though once spread around the country.
Ballentine Derived from a town of the same name in Scotland. Common in the north-east of Ireland.	Bannaghan A west of Ireland name, especially prominent in Roscommon and Sligo.
Bannigan More commonly seen as O Bannigan before the seventeenth century. Largely found in its relatively new form in the border counties of Cavan and Monaghan.	Bannon A name adopted by several septs, the most prolific of which are to be found in Fermanagh and south Kilkenny.
Barden Three hundred years ago, the Barden clan were principally located in the Longford/Westmeath area. Nothing has changed in that respect although it is now pretty common in the south-east also.	Barnes Closely related to Barron and Barden. Originated in England and found mostly in Dublin.
Barr Can claim both English and Scottish roots. Predominately found in the north-east of Ireland, especially County Antrim.	Barrett The Barrett clan came to Ireland with the Anglo-Normans and settled principally in Munster (Cork-Kerry) and Connacht (Sligo-Mayo). Fairly numerous.
Barron Related to the Scottish Frazer clan and also the O’Neills of Tyrone. The name is most common nowadays in the south, especially Waterford and Cork.	Barry Came to Ireland with the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1170 but weren’t long in becoming completely integrated with the native aristocracy. The name is found in almost every part of Ireland but is most numerous in Munster, especially Cork.
Barton Called after a town in England and has grown in popularity in the north of Ireland principally over the last five hundred years.	Battersby Derived from a placename in England. Was formerly prominent in the border counties but now popular in north Leinster, especially Meath.
Bates Found for the most part in counties Cavan and Monaghan. The clan derives its name from Saint Bartholomew. Originates in England.	Beakey Found in county Clare and Wicklow in good numbers.
Beatty Identified with Scottish immigrants who arrived in the north-east of the country during the Ulster plantation. Still very common in the province.	Beckett A notable name common to northern parts of Ulster. Of English/French origins.
Beggy Thought to have derived from the name of a Norman family. Appears in county Meath.	Begley Most numerous in Limerick, Clare and Cork though a branch of the clan settled much earlier in Co. Donegal and were thought to be foreign soldiers.
Beglin Less common than Begley but does appear in historical records as having existed from the 15th century in in fair-sized numbers in the midlands.	Behan Originally concentrated around the east coast, the clan also spread to Kerry and to the western seaboard at Clare.
Beirne Not to be confused with O’Byrne, they are thought to have Scandinavian roots. Most common west of the Shannon, especially in the Sligo/Roscommon region.	Bell Archetypal English name but is very common in the north-east of Ireland.
Bellew Derived from a Norman settlement, it is one of the oldest Norman names in Ireland and has given its name to several places such as Bellewstown (as in the races) in Co. Meath. Common in Royal County.	Belton Derived from places of the same name in England. Of Anglo-Norman extraction, the clan have been concentrated around Dublin for the most part for the last there hundred years.
Bennett An Anglo-Irish family of French stock which settled mainly in the south-east of the country, most notably Waterford and Kilkenny. In Monaghan, the family is known as McBennett.	Bennis One of the least popular English names in Ireland, it hasn’t spread from its original base of Limerick and Tipperary since becoming established in Ireland some three hundred years ago.
Bergin Unheard of in the north or west of Ireland but quite common in the greater Dublin area and the midlands as far south as north Tipperary.	Bermingham A prominent Norman family which settled in Kildare, Offaly and Galway for the most part.
Berrill Particularly noticeable presence in county Louth.	Berry Originates from England but is common in Ireland now, especially in the midlands. Also Wexford.
Best The north of the country, especially the greater Belfast area plus neigbouring counties plays host to most of this clan which originates from England. Others settled in southern parts of Leinster back in the seventeenth century.	Beggan Closely related to the Biggins of Co. Mayo. The Beggan name is largely confined to Counties Monaghan and Meath and is one of the rarer English names.
Binchy Arrived in Ireland from England some three hundred years ago, settling for the most part in Co. Cork	Bingham Derived from an English town of the same name, Bingham is a common name in the north-east of Ireland, principally in counties Antrim and Down.
Bird Common and is closely related to Heneghan, McEneaney, Heagney and Heaney. Sometimes O English origin.	Birt Of the same family tree as Burt and Brett. It is of English rather than Scottish origin and is found mostly in Co. Derry but also in the greater Dublin area.
Black Archetypal Scottish name which is very common in Ulster. Related to the name Duff (as in Gaelic, dubh).	Blair Scottish in origin. Has travelled well and is very common in Ulster.
Blake Originally headquartered in Connacht following the arrival of Richard Caddell (known as le Blaca - the black) in the 12th century. A number of the clan have since made their presence felt in Counties Kildare and Meath. Large landowners in the west in the 14th century.	Blakely Unconnected with Blake. Derived from a place name in England which is relatively new to Ireland. It appears most often nowadays in the border counties and the extreme north-east of the country i.e. Antrim.
Blaney Also known as Blayneys. They are of Welsh stock and settled in the border counties of Monaghan (Castleblayney) and Cavan as well as Down in the 16th century. Also Donegal.	Bogue Principally found in Cork but its Ulster relative is just as common in Monaghan, Cavan and Fermanagh. In counties Laois and Waterford, it appears as Bowe.
Bohan Appears in various forms but most numerous as Bohan. Particularly common west of the Shannon in Galway and Clare. Also Leitrim and Cork.	Boland The name is of Norse extraction but is associated strongly in particular with the septs, Uí Fiachrach and the Dalcassian.
Bolger Most common in Wexford where the people of the county are often referred to as yellow bellies - bolg in gaelic meaning belly and odhar meaning yellow.	Bolton Comes from the Lancashire town of the same name but has featured in various parts of Ireland for the last five hundred years but is particularly common in Laois and Offaly.
Bonner Boasts French roots. Originally Limerick-centred but more common now in the province of Ulster, notably Donegal.	Bonar A variant of Bonner, both of which are common in north Ulster, especially Donegal. It is very uncommon elsewhere in the country.
Booth Prominent in counties Dublin and Sligo for the last three hundred years. Derived from the English occupational name for a person who looks after cows.	Bouchier The french version of Butcher which initially appeared in Wexford but which has since spread over the last five hundred years to areas of the country as far apart as counties Cavan and Cork.
Boyce Of English/French extraction, it is common in Antrim, Derry and Donegal and is related to the Bogue clan.	Boyd Originated in Scotland but is now very common in the north-east of Ireland, especially Antrim, and also Donegal. Unconnected with Boyce.
Boylan Scattered around the border counties of south Ulster and north Leinster. In centuries past their influence in Monaghan was very strong until they fell out with the even more influential McMahon clan.	Boyle Donegal is the heartland of the Boyle clan. They were once one of the most powerful familes in Ulster, hailing from the barony of Boylagh. They were also closely associated with Armagh and Derry in centuries past.
Bracken Common to Laois and Offaly but very few other places in Ireland. Has featured in Ireland for more than four hundred years.	Bradley The Bradleys of Ireland are mostly derived from the old Irish O’Brallaghan clan which had their roots in Ulster. Numerous examples present in Derry.
Brady Almost exclusively identified with the county of Cavan. Boasts a rich history and it sof the area’s longest established clans. See Meath also.	Braniff Almost exclusively pertaining to Co. Down. Very rare elsewhere.
Brannigan A name confined primarily to the counties of Monaghan and Tyrone. It is a branch of the O’Neill clan.	Brannagh Can still be found in parts of the north-east of Ulster but more often than not clan members are now better known as Walsh.
Brannan Like Brannagh this is a dying surname and over the centuries has largely been replaced by Brennan which is found mostly in counties Monaghan and Fermanagh.	Bray Deemed to be unconnected with the Wicklow town of the same name. In more recent years, the synonym Bree has become more popular though Bray can still be found quite a bit in counties such as Meath and Cork.
Brazil or Brassil Unknown in the north of the country, it thought to be of Norman extraction and is found primarily in the south-east of Ireland. Also common in Offaly area.	Brennan Four independent Brennan clans can be found in various parts of the country, including those in Fermanagh, Kerry, Kilkenny and Galway.
MacBrearty Closely related to the Murtagh clan of south Ulster. MacBrearty however is found mainly in Co. Donegal.	Bree May have derived from an English placename and though initially common in Munster now tends to be concentrated in Sligo.
Breen Can be found also with the prefix O also but more often than not goes it alone. Most common in the midlands of Ireland, Offaly in particular though the name is also represented in Kerry/Limerick and Roscommon.	MacBreen Boasts Kilkenny and Roscommon roots but now most popular in Cavan.
Brereton Derives its name from a village in England. The Breretons arrived in Ireland via Normandy and settled primarily in Tipperary. Common around Edenderry area of Offaly.	Breslin An archetypal Gaelic name very common in pre-Norman invasion days. Related to the Brazil clan and found principally in Tyrone and especially in Donegal.
Brett Deemed to have originated in Bretony in France but in Ireland since medieval times. Is quite common in Munster. Also Mayo.	Brick More commonly known in modern times as O Bric (of Waterford pedigree), it was once common in Clare and Limerick but is now rarely found outside of Co. Kerry.
MacBride There are Irish and Scottish branches of the MacBride clan. The former is concentrated in Co. Donegal while the latter centres mainly in Co. Antrim.	O Brien One of the most common of all Irish names, it was most numerous in Munster in centuries past but is now widely represented across Ireland. Thought to have descended from Brian Boru.
Briody Very uncommon apart from the Cavan/Longford border. Not to be confused with the Breffni Bradys.	Briscoe Found almost exclusively in Co. Dublin. Thought to have derived from an English placename.
Broderick Particularly popular in Galway, it is derived from a Norse forename and can sometimes be found in the form of the abbreviated Broder.	Brodie The Scottish version of the gaelic name O’Brollaghan.
Brogan Very common in the west of Ireland. Belongs to the Uí Fiachrach Muaidhe group of Sligo and north Mayo.	Brolly Derry is the home of the Brollys. Thought to have Norman ancestry.
Brooke Gives its name to Brookeborough in Co. Fermanagh. A common planter’s name in Ulster back in the 16th century. Still common, especially in areas west of the River Erne.	Brophy Very few examples exist in the country outside of the midland counties in proximity to Laois where it is most numerous.
Brosnan Kerry is the heartland of the Brosnan name and is rarely seen anywhere outside of the south Munster region.	Browne Very common name in Ireland, past and present. One of the fourteen tribes of Galway, the name became firmly established following the Norman invasion of the 12th century, hence the connection with le Brun (brown).
Bruton Has been a feature of Irish life since the 16th century but gets its name from a place in England. Most common nowadays in Meath and Dublin.	Bryan The name of a once very prominent Norman family on Noreside. Over the centuries it has interchanged with similar names such as Byrne and O’Brien.
Buchanan Derived from the name of a town in Scotland. Is found mostly in south-west Ulster and has spawned the name Bohan as found in Clare and Limerick.	Buckley More commonly used form of the gaelic O’Buachalla (of the boy) which had Offaly as its heartland. Buckley is a very common name in Cork.
Buggy A popular name in the south-east and midland areas of the country, Buggy is derived from the gaelic word for soft, i.e. bog	Bunyan Kerry is the main source of this clan which can trace its roots to England. Often changed to Bennett.
Burke One of the most powerful of the Anglo-Norman settlers who arrived in Ireland with Strongbow. William de Burgh was the progenitor of the Burkes in Ireland. He came to Ireland in 1185. A common name throughout Ireland, with the possible exception of Ulster.	MacBirney Of Norse origin and common in Scotland. Became a popular name in Ireland some three hundred years ago with the plantation of Ulster.
Burns Archetypal Scottish name which is very common in the north of Ireland and in some parts of Munster. Connections include O’Beirne and Byrne.	Butler Part of Irish history for the last 800 years and rivals the Burkes and the Fitzgeralds as the greatest of all Norman families to make an impression in Ireland. Can be found in all parts of Ireland but most numerous in Kilkenny and Wexford.
Butterly Found in Louth (primarily) and neighbouring Meath. Derived from a placename in England but is a relatively new introduction to Ireland.	Byers Derives the name from a place in Scotland of the same name. There is a Norman connection also as the name byre means cowman. Now chiefly associated with Co. Cavan.
Byrne A great Irish family. One of the most common names in modern Ireland, especially in Wicklow and south Leinster.