Irish Surnames
Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Ireland was one of the earliest countries to adopt a system of hereditary surnames, which came into being in the 11th century. Traditionally, Irish family names are taken from the first chief of the tribe, who was usually an illustrious warrior.
On these pages you will find information on common Irish surnames found in Ireland and round the world. We have only just started compiling this list so please check back if you don't find information about your Irish surname below.
Note
We have researched many sources for the origins of Irish surnames and extracted a fair representation of the origins of each. As there are many variations we have compiled a representative, but by no means exhaustive, selection.
Useful Resources
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Irish Genealogy Kit Visit |
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| Irish Roots | Ireland's
Diaspora | Irish Surnames |
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