Gaelic dynasty

O'Brien

Ó Briain

Also: Brien, Bryan

“descendant of Brian (Boru)”

🏔 Clare · An Clár 🏔 Limerick · Luimneach 🏔 Tipperary · Tiobraid Árann

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

The story

The royal house of Thomond, descended from Brian Boru himself. Uniquely, they rode out every conquest — kings, then earls, never dispossessed.

Their world Around 1014 — Kings with Opposition. Brian Boru dies winning, at Clontarf in 1014.

See them on the atlas ↗

What the name is made of

Ó Briain
Ó — descendant of (originally grandson of)
Briain — 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 O'Brien an Irish name?

O'Brien 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 — “O'Brien dynasty”

The O'Brien dynasty was an Irish Clan and noble house of Munster, founded in the 10th century by Brian Boru of the Dál gCais (Dalcassians). After becoming King of Munster, through conquest he established himself as Ard Rí na hÉireann. Brian's descendants thus carried the name Ó Briain, continuing to rule the Kingdom of Munster until the 12th century where their territory had shrunk to the Kingdom of Thomond which they would hold for just under five centuries.

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

Neighbours — other names from the same counties

Hickey · Clare, Tipperary, Limerick Carty · Tipperary, Clare Creagh · Clare, Limerick Griffin · Clare, Limerick Hayes · Limerick, Tipperary Hogan · Tipperary, Clare Hurley · Limerick, Clare Kennedy · Tipperary, Clare McInerney · Clare, Limerick Mulcahy · Tipperary, Limerick Ryan · Tipperary, Limerick Shanahan · Clare, Tipperary Sheehy · Limerick, Tipperary Slattery · Clare, Tipperary

Quick answers

Is O'Brien an Irish name?

O'Brien is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here. In Irish the name is Ó Briain.

What does the surname O'Brien mean?

O'Brien (Irish: Ó Briain) means “descendant of Brian (Boru)”. Origin: Gaelic dynasty.

Where in Ireland is the surname O'Brien from?

The historic homeland of the O'Brien name is Clare, Limerick, Tipperary. People moved, so the name can be found far beyond it.

What is the Irish for O'Brien?

Ó Briain. Related spellings: Brien, Bryan.

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

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