If you decide to not hire a Genealogist, you may find yourself trying to determine what an unfamiliar Irish last name is from an old document, such as a Death Certificate or a Marriage Record. This list will help identify some of those names.

List of Most Common Irish Last Names

1. Murphy – the sea battlers
2. Kelly – the bright-headed ones
3. O’Sullivan – the hawkeyed ones
4. Walsh – the Welshmen
5. O’Brien – the noblemen
6. Byrne – the ravens
7. Ryan – the little kings
8. O’Connor – patrons of warriors
9. O’Neill – from a champion, Niall of the Nine Hostages
10. O’Reilly

Note – The names Smith and Murray both made the top 10, but Smith is British and Murray of Scottish origin, so they are excluded from the list.

Source: Irishcentral.com

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