50 Most Common Irish Surnames & Their Coats of Arms

50 Most Common Irish Surnames & Their Coats of Arms

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Ireland has one of the world’s oldest and most distinctive surname traditions. Irish family names — many starting with “O'” (grandson of) or “Mac/Mc” (son of) — date back to the 10th century, making them some of the earliest hereditary surnames in Europe. And with those ancient names come ancient heraldic symbols: coats of arms recorded in Irish, English, and Scottish archives over centuries.

Below are 50 of the most common Irish surnames and the heraldic symbols most associated with them.

The 50 Most Common Irish Surnames & Their Heraldic Symbols

  1. Murphy — A lion passant between two roses; one of Ireland’s most ancient Leinster names
  2. Kelly — A tower with a knight’s arm; originally Ó Ceallaigh from Connacht
  3. O’Brien — Three lions passant, drawn from the royal arms of Munster’s Dál Cais dynasty
  4. Walsh — A sword and a crescent; brought by Cambro-Norman settlers
  5. Smith — An arm holding a hammer; common across Irish and Anglo-Norman families
  6. O’Sullivan — A stag with an arrow, referencing the legendary ancestor Súileabhán
  7. Martin — A bird (martlet) and a chief; widespread across Connacht and Ulster
  8. O’Connor — Two lions rampant; the ancient royal house of Connacht
  9. McCarthy — A stag and golden stars; from the Kingdom of Desmond in Munster
  10. Byrne — A raven on gold; Ó Broin, from the ancient kings of Leinster
  11. Ryan — A griffin and a gold chief; originally Ó Maoilriain
  12. O’Neill — A red hand (the Hand of Ulster); the most iconic Ulster heraldic symbol
  13. O’Reilly — Two golden lions; the ruling family of Breifne (Cavan/Leitrim)
  14. Doyle — A wolf and a chevron; Ó Dubhghaill, descended from Norse-Irish settlers
  15. McCarthy Mór — Three gold stags; the senior branch of the McCarthys
  16. O’Donnell — Four gold lions on red; the ruling house of Tír Conaill (Donegal)
  17. Fitzgerald — A silver saltire on red; the most powerful Anglo-Norman family in Ireland
  18. Kennedy — A dolphin and a helmet; originally Ó Cinnéide of Thomond
  19. Lynch — A lynx passant; prominent in Galway’s Fourteen Tribes
  20. Murray — A ship on waves; from Ó Muireadhaigh of Roscommon
  21. Quinn — An arm holding a sword; Ó Cuinn of Thomond
  22. Moore — A Moor’s head in profile; widespread in Leinster and Connacht
  23. McLoughlin — A red hand on gold; descended from the High Kings of Ireland
  24. Carroll — A gold lion on blue; Ó Cearbhaill, princes of Ely
  25. Farrell — A man in armor; Ó Fearghail, rulers of Annaly (Longford)
  26. Nolan — A gold band on blue; Ó Nualláin from Carlow
  27. Burke — A gold cross on blue; the great Anglo-Norman de Burgh family
  28. Collins — A sword and three stars; Ó Coileáin from Cork and Limerick
  29. Hayes — A hand holding a sword; from Ó hAodha, widespread in Munster
  30. O’Callaghan — A golden stag on blue; princes of Clancallaghan in Cork
  31. Brennan — A raven on a gold chief; Ó Braonáin from Kilkenny
  32. Doherty — A stag and oak tree; the ruling family of Inishowen in Donegal
  33. Hughes — Three roses on gold; common Anglo-Norman name in Ireland
  34. O’Dwyer — A wolf passant; Ó Duibhir of Tipperary
  35. O’Flaherty — A black lion; the lords of west Connacht (Galway)
  36. Power — A gold chief and three swords; Anglo-Norman le Poer from Waterford
  37. Malone — Three silver stars; Ó Maoil Eoin (devotee of St. John)
  38. Boyle — Three silver cups; Ó Baoighill, a prominent Donegal family
  39. Gallagher — A greyhound; Ó Gallchobhair, lords of Tír Conaill
  40. Sheridan — A hand holding a sword on blue; Ó Síridéin of Cavan
  41. Duffy — A black lion passant; Ó Dufaigh, widespread in Ulster
  42. Foley — A sword and three trefoils; Ó Foghladha from Waterford
  43. Higgins — A horseman; Ó hUiginn, hereditary poets of Connacht
  44. O’Shea — A hawk with bells; Ó Séaghdha from Kerry
  45. Madden — A hand and stars; Ó Madadháin from Galway
  46. Keane — A silver cross; Ó Catháin, lords of Keenaght in Derry
  47. Tobin — A silver lion; Anglo-Norman St. Aubyn family settled in Tipperary
  48. Flanagan — A red wolf on gold; Ó Flannagáin, princes of Roscommon
  49. O’Mahony — A red hand and stars; Ó Mathghamhna, lords of west Cork
  50. Phelan — A wolf and a chevron; Ó Faoláin, ancient kings of the Déise

Irish Heraldry: What Makes It Unique

Irish heraldry has several distinctive features:

  • The Red Hand of Ulster — one of Ireland’s most iconic symbols, appearing in O’Neill and other Ulster family arms
  • Stags and deer — far more common in Irish heraldry than in English or French traditions, reflecting Ireland’s landscape and hunting culture
  • Ravens and wolves — dark, powerful animals reflecting the fierce independence of Gaelic chieftains
  • Lions from Anglo-Norman families — families like Fitzgerald, Burke, and Power brought English heraldic conventions to Ireland from the 12th century

Find Your Irish Coat of Arms

Whether your name is on this list or not, if your family has Irish roots, there’s almost certainly a coat of arms associated with your surname in the heraldic archives. We research the Irish, Scottish, and English heraldic records to find yours.

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