The history of Irish last names is a long and complicated one, but there are a few things that are known for sure. For example, it is thought that the first Irish last names were derived from patronymics, or naming conventions that passed down a person's father's first name as their own last name. This practice was common in many cultures throughout history, and it is thought that the Irish adopted it from the Norse people with whom they had interacted. Over time, these patronymic last names began to be passed down through families, becoming more permanent fixtures.

Another theory about the origins of Irish last names is that they were derived from nicknames. It was not uncommon for people in medieval Ireland to be given nicknames based on their physical appearance or personality, and these nicknames often became their last names. This practice was especially common among the lower classes, who did not have access to the same formal naming conventions as the upper classes.

Whatever their origins, Irish last names have evolved over the centuries into the surnames we know today. Many of these surnames are quite common, such as Murphy, Kelly, O'Brien, and Ryan. Others are less common, but no less interesting.

We have assembled the Irish names below for those interested.

Accles Acheson Achins Achison Ackson Acteson Addeane Addeman Adekand Adekind Adeys Adgey
Adnay Adnet Adnet Adnot Adown Aegard Aegeart Aegerd Aegord Aggarde Aggeard Aggot Ahanay Aid Ailand Aillanach Aillen Aillene Ains Airay Aireys Airington Airlie Airlie Akand Akenson Albia Alchorne Aldy Alear Aleman Alerdash Alisen Alister Alivard Allason
Allingame Alliott Alliott Allisend Allive Allmend Allmind Allridge Allridge Allweard Allyott Almach Almack Almack Almak Almak Almaker Alment Almick Almine Almoke Alohyn Alsteen Alstom Alstone Alstor Alsworth Althane Altom Alwart Alwarth Alwarthy Alwood Alwood Alyot Alysume Amant Amary Ambrick Ambris Ameryk Ammand Ammel Amrick Amrien Amrin Anas Ancock
Aneley Aneley Anely Anglis Angre Anion Anlett Annacker Anner Annessly Annice Annice Annient Ansh Antly Anyane Anyon Anyon Apparry Apsimon Apsley Aragend Arascain Archdeacon Archdeacon Archearde Archibell Archin Arding Ardman Ardy Ardy Arkar Arlint Armstrong Armstrong Arndell Arndell Arneill Arniel Arnill Arnode Arny Arradul Arrandale Arrandale Arrindale Arrogon Arrundal Arrundale Arrundale Artagan Arvey Arvine Arwoit Arwould Asi Ason Aspel Aspel Asselting Atcherson Ater Atkay Attair Attale Attare Atten Attkan Attkyn Attyson Atys Atyston Atzar Aukward Aulder Aulton Aulton Aungier Ausbon Ausburne Auslam Auson Austien
Avaray Averell Award Awrey Axon Axon Axtent Aylan Ayleway Ayn Ayray Baalham Baalham Bäbe Bacame Bacan Bachet Bachot Backous Backues

Last Names by Countries

Afghans Algerian Albanian Angolan Argentines Australian Austrian Azerbaijani Bangladeshi Belarusian Belgian Benin Bolivian Bosniak Brazilian British Bulgarian Burkinab Cambodian Cameroonian Canadian Chilean Chinese Colombian Croatian Czech Congolese Danish Dominican Republic Ecuadorian Egyptian Ethiopian Finn French Georgian German Ghanaian Greek Guatemalan Hungarian Indian Indonesian Iranian Iraqi Irish Israeli Italian Ivorian Japanese Kazakh Kenyan Latvian Lebanese Lithuanian Macedonian Malaysian Mexican Moroccan Mozambican Nepali Netherland Nigerian Norwegian Pakistani Peruvian Filipino Polish Portugese Romanian Russian Saudi Arabian Serbian Slovak Slovenes South African Spanish Sri Lankan Swedish Swiss Syrian Tanzanian Tunisian Turkish Ugandan Ukrainian US-American Uzbek Venezuelan Vietnamese Zambian Zimbabwean