Gaelic sept

Griffin

Ó Gríobhtha

Also: O'Griffin, Griffey

“descendant of Gríobhtha, 'griffin-like'”

🏔 Clare · An Clár 🏔 Kerry · Ciarraí 🏔 Limerick · Luimneach

The sept's historic heartland, highlighted. People moved — a name can be found far from home.

The story

A Dál gCais sept of Ballygriffy in Clare, spread through Munster. The griffin (half eagle, half lion) suits a name that is half myth, half muscle.

Their world Around 1450 — The Gaelic Resurgence. Plague, absentee landlords and Gaelic recovery shrink English Ireland to a fortified strip around Dublin.

See them on the atlas ↗

What the name is made of

Ó Gríobhtha
Ó — descendant of (originally grandson of)
Gríobhtha — the ancestor, trade or place the name is built on

Find this form in the Irish-to-English index → · What Ó and Mac actually mean

Is Griffin an Irish name?

Griffin is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here.

The five answers, and why it is rarely yes or no →

From Wikipedia — “Griffin (surname)”

Griffin is a surname of primarily Irish origin. Griffin was the 75th most common surname on the island of Ireland in 1891. It was estimated in 2000 that Griffin is the 114th most common surname in the U.S., with a population in the order of two hundred thousand.

Read the full article ↗ · Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Neighbours — other names from the same counties

Creagh · Clare, Limerick Fitzgerald · Kerry, Limerick Galvin · Kerry, Clare Hickey · Clare, Limerick Hurley · Limerick, Clare Kirby · Limerick, Kerry McInerney · Clare, Limerick O'Brien · Clare, Limerick Shanahan · Clare, Kerry Sheehan · Limerick, Kerry Sheehy · Limerick, Kerry Ahern · Clare Brosnan · Kerry Buckley · Kerry

Quick answers

Is Griffin an Irish name?

Griffin is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here. In Irish the name is Ó Gríobhtha.

What does the surname Griffin mean?

Griffin (Irish: Ó Gríobhtha) means “descendant of Gríobhtha, 'griffin-like'”. Origin: Gaelic sept.

Where in Ireland is the surname Griffin from?

The historic homeland of the Griffin name is Clare, Kerry, Limerick. People moved, so the name can be found far beyond it.

What is the Irish for Griffin?

Ó Gríobhtha. Related spellings: O'Griffin, Griffey.

Looking for the Griffin family crest? Read this first — arms belong to people, not surnames, and the honest version is more interesting. Tracing Griffin ancestors? The step-by-step guide.

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