The Top 100 Most Common Surnames in Ireland in 1890

1. Murphy 26. Wilson 51. Sweeney 76. Kenny
2. Kelly 27. Dunne 52. Hayes 77. Sheehan
3. O’Sullivan 28. Brennan 53. Kavanagh 78. Ward
4. Walsh 29. Burke 54. Power 79. Whelan
5. Smith (McGowan) 30. Collins 55. McGrath 80. Lyons
6. O’Brien 31. Campbell 56. Moran 81. Reid
7. Byrne 32. Clarke 57. Brady 82. Graham
8. Ryan 33. Johns(t)on 58. Stewart/Stuart 83. Higgins
9. O’Connor 34. Hughes 59. Casey 84. Cullen
10. O’Neill 35. O’Farrell 60. Foley 85. Keane/MacCahan(e)
11. O’Reilly 36. Fitzgerald 61. Fitzpatrick 86. King
12. Doyle 37. Brown 62. O’Leary 87. Maher/Meagher
13. McCarthy 38. Martin/MacGillmartin 63. MacDonnell 88. MacKenna
14. Gallagher 39. Maguire 64. MacMahon 89. Bell
15. O’Doherty 40. Nolan/Knowlan 65. Donnelly 90. Scott
16. Kennedy 41. Flynn 66. Regan 91. Hogan
17. Lynch 42. Thom(p)son 67. Donovan 92. O’Keefe
18. Murray 43. O’Callaghan 68. Burns 93. Magee
19. Quinn 44. O’Donnell 69. Flanagan 94. MacNamara
20. Moore 45. Duffy 70. Mullan 95. MacDonald
21. McLaughlin 46. O’Mahon(e)y 71. Barry 96. MacDermot(t)
22. O’Carroll 47. Boyle 72. Kane 97. Moloney
23. Connolly 48. Healy 73. Robinson 98. O’Rourke
24. Daly 49. O’Shea 74. Cunningham 99. Buckley
25. O’Connell 50. White 75. Griffin 100. O’Dwyer

Notes:

  • These survey results are based upon all Irish birth registrations in the year 1890.
  • McGowan is an Anglicization of the Irish surname MacGobhann, with Gobha meaning blacksmith in English. As a consequence, many McGowan families became known as Smyth or Smith after further Anglicization.