The Walsh surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 105,079 people carried this name — #295 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 2,810 people counted. That is up 2% from 103,216 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Walsh surname
An Irish surname from English.
From Middle English Walsch (“Welsh(man)”), from Old English wælisċ, variant of wīelisċ.
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Walsh» (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 932 births for the Walsh 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 41,400 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The count includes the spelling Walshe.
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 365 people named Walsh 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
139 people named Walsh live in Switzerland.
They live in 14 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where 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 83 people named Walsh.
Most of them — 70 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 8 départements, most often Paris.
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
75 people named Walsh have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 224 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 13 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Lublin.
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 31 people named Walsh 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
216 people named Walsh are counted in Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. 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) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Walsh in American newspapers,
1905–1924.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 915,971 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Walsh,
with a public archive behind them.
-
Michael Walsh 1810–1859 · politician -
William Walsh 1828–1892 · lawyer -
Patrick Walsh 1840–1899 · politician -
James Morrow Walsh 1840–1905 · politician -
James J. Walsh 1858–1909 · lawyer
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 167 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Walsh.
- Waller 36,805 · U.S. census
- Wallerich 300 · U.S. census
- Wallet 236 · U.S. census
- Walliser 296 · U.S. census
- Wallon 160 · U.S. census
- Walser 2,782 · U.S. census
- Walter 48,024 · U.S. census
- Walther 6,444 · U.S. census
- Walti 132 · U.S. census
- Walton 73,854 · U.S. census
- Waltz 6,819 · U.S. census
- Waltzer 264 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Walsh 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.