Byrne

The most common meaning of Byrne (variations: Burns, Byrn, Byrnes, O'Byrne) is a surname derived from the Irish name Ó Broin.

There are two Irish surnames which have Byrne as their English spelling; the most common comes from Ó Broin, which refers to the Leinster-based family of Bran as described below, the less common family name is Ó Beirn or Ó Beirne in Irish comes from a different Sept or family and therefore has different origins. The latter is most commonly found in Mayo, Sligo and Donegal in the Northwest of Ireland.

History

In the Irish language, Ó Broin means "descendant of Bran". The name has been traced back to the ancient Celtic chieftain, Bran mac Máelmórda, King of Leinster, deposed in 1018, (d. 1052), who belonged to the Uí Dúnlainge dynasty. He was descended from Cathair Mór, an earlier king of Leinster, who was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, also monarch of all Ireland around 200 AD. The clan's motto is the Latin phrase Certavi et vici, meaning "I have fought and conquered".[1][2][3]

In pre-Norman times the O'Byrnes, then known as the Uí Fáeláin sept, inhabited the rich Kildare plains. With the progress of the Anglo-Norman conquest, they were compelled to migrate to the poorer lands and the mountainous country eastwards, later to be denominated as the county of Wicklow.

List of people surnamed Byrne or O'Byrne

A–D
  • Alan Byrne (disambiguation), several people
  • Alexandra Byrne, costume designer
  • Alfie Byrne, Lord Mayor of Dublin and TD
  • Allie Byrne, British actress
  • Andrew Byrne, first Catholic Bishop of Little Rock
  • Andrew Hozier-Byrne, better known under his stage name Hozier (born 1990), Irish singer and songwriter
  • Anne Byrn (born 1956), American cookbook author
  • Anthony Byrne (disambiguation), several people
  • Bill Byrne (disambiguation), several people
  • Billy Byrne (disambiguation), several people
  • Bob Byrne, Irish comics writer
  • Bradley Byrne (born 1965), American business attorney and politician
  • Brendan Byrne, Governor of New Jersey from 1974 to 1982
  • Brian Byrne, Canadian musician
  • Bryan Byrne, Irish footballer
  • Catherine Byrne, Irish politician
  • Celine Byrne (born 1980), Irish opera soprano
  • Charles Byrne (disambiguation), several people
  • Charlie Byrne (disambiguation), several people
  • Christopher Byrne (disambiguation), several people named Chris or Christopher
  • Cliff Byrne, Irish footballer
  • Conan Byrne, Irish footballer
  • Condon Byrne, Australian politician
  • Connor Byrne (born 1964), Irish actor
  • Damien Byrne, footballer
  • David Byrne (born 1952), Scottish-born American musician
  • David Byrne (disambiguation), several people
  • Dean Byrne (disambiguation) (born 1984), American based Irish boxer
  • Debra Byrne, Australian singer
  • Declan Byrne, fictional character in British soap opera Family Affairs
  • Denis Byrne, Irish sportsman
  • Dominic Byrne, British newsreader and presenter
  • Donald Byrne, chess player
  • Donn Byrne, Irish novelist
  • Doris I. Byrne (1905–1975), New York politician and judge

E–J

K–Z

Given name

Other uses

See also

References
  1. Fairbairn, James, Laurence Butters. Fairbairns Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland: Text, Volume 1. Jack, 1860. p. 537
  2. Sir Bernard Burke. The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales: comprising a registry of armorial bearings from the earliest to the present time, Harrison & Sons, 1884. p. 744; see "O'Byrne (Timogue)" and "O'Byrne (Cabinteely)"
  3. Florida Historical Society. Makers of America: an historical and biographical work by an able corps of writers, Volume 4. Caldwell, 1911, p. 187

Further reading
  • Byrne-Rothwell, Daniel. The Byrnes and the O'Byrnes. House of Lochar, 2010. ISBN 9781904817031
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