The Ryan surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 143,452 people carried this name — #193 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 2,060 people counted. That is up 3% from 139,335 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Ryan surname
A surname A surname from Irish, an anglicization of Ó Riaghain, Ó Riain (literally “descendant of Riaghan, Rian”).
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Ryan» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 715 births for the Ryan name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Munster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 31,700 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 354 people named Ryan live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
175 people named Ryan live in Switzerland.
They live in 13 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Geneva.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 69 people named Ryan.
Most of them — 57 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 6 départements, most often Hauts-de-Seine.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Poland’s population register
67 people named Ryan have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 206 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 10 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Pomeranian.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In Belgium’s population register
At least 29 people named Ryan live in Belgium.
Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Brussels-Capital.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In the Nordic population registers
593 people named Ryan are counted in Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Norway publishes only surnames with 200 or more bearers. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Statistics Norway (SSB, ssb.no), table 12891, 2025 — CC BY 4.0 · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Ryan in American newspapers,
1880–1924.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,076,017 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Ryan,
with a public archive behind them.
-
Edward Ryan 1793–1875 · scientist -
Edward George Ryan 1810–1880 · judge -
Michael Patrick Ryan 1825–1893 · politician -
Patrick John Ryan 1831–1911 · Catholic priest -
Abram Joseph Ryan 1839–1886 · writer
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 244 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Ryan.
- Rutigliano 1,146 · U.S. census
- Rutkowski 6,805 · U.S. census
- Rutten 872 · U.S. census
- Rutter 7,205 · U.S. census
- Ruys 153 · U.S. census
- Ruz 491 · U.S. census
- Rybak 1,934 · U.S. census
- Rybarczyk 851 · U.S. census
- Rybicki 1,752 · U.S. census
- Rybka 646 · U.S. census
- Ryder 14,228 · U.S. census
- Ryon 1,103 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Ryan is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.