Celtic surnames cover people with the last names originating in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall and the Isle of Man in the United Kingdom as well as Brittany in France. They reflect, and grew out, of the "living" Celtic languages such as Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh and Breton. There are also Celtic surnames drawn from Manx and Cornish. These languages are no longer in common use although there are attempts to revive them.[1]
The term Gaelic has a narrower definition, being limited to the language and culture of Ireland, parts of Scotland and the Isle of Man while excluding Wales and French Britanny.[2]
For scholars of history, the term "Celtic" can also cover a wider group of ancient Indo-European tribes. These extended from Gaul and Iberia in West Europe to Anatolia in the East. But surnames in this geography are not discussed here.[3]
History and conventions of Celtic surnames
The history of Celtic surnames rings together a number of different themes. They can be traced back to the early Middle Ages and have Patronymic (paternal) origins[4]. Two common prefixes that emerged during this period are O signifying "descendant of" and Mac, denoting "son of". Welsh surnames also date back to this period. Earlier Welsh people were typically known by a single name. But as English influence grew in Wales, surnames became more common.
Some Celtic surnames reflect the regional or geographic origin associated with an ancestor--see examples in the section below. Still others derive from ancestors' nicknames or their descriptive traits or achievements. An example is Cassidy which may be traced back to "a descendant of Caiside with curly-hair".
In Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) areas last names were often combined a first (given) name, the father’s name and paternal grandfather’s name. Thus, the name Seán Phóil Shéamuis shows Seán as the son of a man called Phóil, who himself was the son of Séamus.
Unlike most Romance languages derived from Latin, the Breton region retained its Brittonic-Celtic character. This linguistic feature influenced Breton surnames, especially in French regions like Rennes, Lorient, and Brest. Many Breton surnames begin with the prefix Ker-, which means “fort.” This prefix reflects geographic features and is found in names like Kerguelen, Kerouac, and Kermit. Other Breton prefixes include Le (meaning “the”) and Pen (“head” or “end”).
Finally, over time some Celtic surnames changed reflecting the spread of English, regional differences and personal decisions. For example, the name Brontë is a variant of the Celtic surname Brunty. It was adopted by the Irish-born Englishman Patrick Brunty (1777-1861), the father of authors Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë, when Patrick was an adult. In doing so the Celtic origins of Brunty were deliberately obscured.[5]
Types of Celtic surnames & common spelling variations
When researching Celtic surnames be aware that spelling variations are very common, reflecting different ways in which names in their original Gaelic languages have been translated into English and that inconsistencies occur in the recording of names in old texts. To give just one example, the Gaelic last name MacAlister found in both Scotland and Ireland has several variations. These include MacAllister, MacAllaster, MacAllestair and MacAllseter. It also exists in the feminine form, NicAlasdair, meaning "daughter of Alasdair".[6]
Some common Celtic surnames & their origins/meanings
Here are some of the most common Celtic surnames. It is important to recognise that there are sometimes alternative explanations of their origin or meaning.
Ireland[7]
- Statistically Murphy is the most popular Irish last name. It is particularly common in County Cork. Derived from the Gaelic names Ó Murchadha and Ó Murchadh, both have an ancient Irish origin. These names are associated with the concepts of “sea warrior” or “sea battler”.
- O’Connor is another prominent Irish surname, of Gaelic origins. It signifies lineage and regional ties. The prefix “O” indicates a family relationship.
- Kelly is the modern form of the Gaelic name Ó Ceallaigh, meaning “descendant of Ceallach”.
- O’Brien is also a common Irish name with a rich history. As with many other Irish surnames the prefix “O” signifies “descendant of". The name Brien has Gaelic roots.
- Another common Irish last name is Ryan. It originates from the Gaelic name Ó Riain, meaning “descendant of Rian”.
- The name Kennedy is associated with the Ó Cinnéide clan.
- Quinn is derived from the Gaelic name Ó Cuinn, meaning “descendant of Conn”.
Scotland[8]
- Campbell is derived from the Gaelic Caimbeul, meaning "crooked-mouth". In early usage it was believed to have referred to individuals considered deceitful or manipulative.
- Armstrong, originally the "son of a strong man".
- Begbie, a Norse-related surname meaning "farm" or "settlement"¹. It is most commonly found in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh.
- The ancestors of the surname Blain or Blaine lived in Bernicia, an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom in what is now southeastern Scotland and North-East England. The name is derived from the Gaelic personal name Bleen, which means "yellow".
- Buchanan is generally accepted to be a geographical surname referring to someone who came from the Scottish district of Buchanan in Stirlingshire, near Loch Lomond. The place name is thought to derive from the Gaelic elements buth, meaning "house" and chanain, meaning "of the canon."
- Cameron has several possible origins. It may be a combination of a Gaelic-language nickname, cam meaning "crooked" or "bent" and sròn ("nose") or abhainn ("river"). Another possibility is that it has a geographical origin, based on any town called "Cameron".
- MacAlastair (and its variants) is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Alasdair, meaning “son of Alasdair (the Gaelic equivalent of the given name Alexander)". It also is a clan name.
Wales[9]
- Jones is among the most recognisable of Welsh surnames. John was a popular personal in Christian Europe due to its biblical roots. Jones is a contraction of “John’s son”.
- Davies is an old Welsh surname with patronymic ("derived from the father") roots. It is an anglicised form of the Welsh name Dafydd (“David”), another popular Christian (first) name with Biblical associations.
- Williams also has patronymic roots and means “son of William”.
- Derived from “son of Evan”, Evans is an anglicised version of the Welsh names Efan or Ifan. These are both medieval forms of Leuan, itself from the Latin Iōannēs and the biblical Hebrew Yôḥānān, meaning “God is gracious”.
Brittany[10]
- Le Roux means “the red” in the Breton language.
- le Goff is believed to be a reference to “smith” or “blacksmith”.
- Le Gall is derived from “the Gaul”, connecting to the ancient Celtic tribe of this region of Western Europe encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Northern Italy.
- Le Bris is a reference to “the hill” or “the slope” a geographic feature presumably associated with an ancestor.
- Tanguy comes from the Breton word Tangi, meaning “fire dog”.
- Caradec in Breton has the same origin as the Welsh name Caradoc, meaning “beloved”.
- Guillou is another Breton name with is equivalent of the Welsh name William.
- Hervé means “iron one”. It is taken to have given rise to the English name Harvey.
Celebrities with Celtic surnames
A separate Wiki article, Irish Surnames, includes details of a number of famous people with Irish surnames.
Famous individuals with Gaelic Scottish surnames include:
- David Byrne, musician, member of Talking Heads.
- Kennedy Fraser, American fashion journalist.
- Ewan McGregor, James McAvoy, Kelly Macdonald, Angus Macfadyen, Hugh Laurie and Tilda Swinton, actors
- Andy Murray, tennis player.
Welsh-named celebrities include singer Tom Jones and famous landscape painter Kyffin Williams.
Celebrities with Breton-origin surnames include:
- Jean Boiteux, first Frenchman to win a gold medal for swimming at the Olympics.
- Mel Bosser, American baseball player.
- Yoann Gourcuff, French footballer.
Going back in history perhaps the most famous figure of all with a Celtic name was Boudicca. A powerful Celtic queen and warrior who lived in the first century CE, she led a fierce revolt against the Roman government in Britain, causing widespread destruction and even burning down the city of London. Her legacy endures as a symbol of native resistance against foreign rule.[11]
See also
Explore more about Celtic surnames
MyHeritage resources which can assist you with your research of Celtic surnames include:
- The introductory Wiki article, How to trace the origin of your surname, provides an overview of the history of last names, their conventions and general strategies to research them.
- Various other individual Wiki articles that discuss surnames in various Celtic countries and regions such as Irish surnames, Scottish surnames, Welsh surnames, Gaelic surnames, and Breton surnames.
- The Webinar, What’s in a Surname: The History of Surnames and How They Help in Family History Research
- Legacy Family Webinars such as The Madness of "Mc" Surnames, Using Y DNA testing to investigate Ulster and Scottish surnames and What’s That Name? Tips for Finding Nicknames, Spelling Variants and Mangled Surnames.
Beyond MyHeritage there are many online resources dedicated to general Celtic surname research or for surname research in specific Celtic regions. Below is a small sample--any internet search will identify many others relevant to the specific Celtic surnames in which you're interested:
- A Beginner’s Guide to Tracing Your Irish Ancestry: Unravel Your Celtic Roots
- Behind the Names: Celtic
- Do You Have Irish Genealogy: Handy Surname Guide
- Tracing the geographic distribution of Irish surnames
- Irish Surname Maps
- Scottish Surnames
- ScotlandsPeople Research Guide to Surnames
- 55 Common Welsh Surnames With Meanings (+ 20 Rare Ones)
References
- ↑ Manx: How did the Isle of Man’s “extinct” gaelic come back from the dead? The Scotsman. (2023, September 1)
- ↑ Perkins, M. (2019, June 30). What is gaelic? definition, history, and modern usage. ThoughtCo.
- ↑ Cartwright, M. (2024, April 11). Ancient celts. World History Encyclopedia.
- ↑ Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, February 19). Celtic onomastics. Wikipedia.
- ↑ Martin, E. (2021, August 26). 10 facts about the Brontës, the most interesting literary family. BOOK RIOT.
- ↑ The history of the McAllister family name: An Irish perspective. IrishHistory.com. (2023a, October 6).
- ↑ The origins and meanings of Common Irish surnames: A comprehensive guide to your ancestral roots. IrishHistory.com. (2023, May 17).
- ↑ Wikimedia Foundation. (2024b, March 20). List of Scottish gaelic surnames. Wikipedia.
- ↑ 55 common welsh surnames with meanings (+ 20 rare ones). Wales Guidebook. (2023, October 10).
- ↑ Breton name meaning, family history, family Crest & Coats of arms. HouseOfNames. (2000, January 1).
- ↑ 4 celtic warriors who became figures of legend. TheCollector. (2023, December 22).