Surname O'Ryan - Meaning and Origin
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O'Ryan: What does the surname O'Ryan mean?
The last name O'Ryan is an Anglicized version of the Irish Ó Riain, meaning "descendant of Rian". Rian comes from the Gaelic word rí, meaning "king". This surname is associated with the ruling families of a small Gaelic kingdom in modern-day County Cork.
O'Ryan is a common surname in the countries of Ireland and the United States. The majority of the people who carry this name originated in the regions of Munster and Ulster, located in southern and northern Ireland respectively.
The O'Ryans are part of the larger septs within the heavily populated Clancy clan, tracing its ancestry to the ancient rulers of Ormond in Munster. This suggests that the O'Ryans have been a prominent Irish family for centuries.
In addition to the Clancy clan, there were also many Irish families who struggled as a member of an effective lower class who adopted the surname O'Ryan. Those of this lower class could be tavern owners, farmers or laborers. The name may have also have been adopted by immigrants breaking away from traditional Irish clans.
Although the exact origin of the last name is still uncertain, it is believed to have been in use for centuries in Ireland before it was passed on to other countries like the United States. The moniker has also been found in other countries in different forms, such as O'Rian, O'Brien, and O'Riordan.
Overall, the last name O'Ryan is an Anglicization of the Irish Ó Riain. It is believed to have been used by the members of the ancient ruling families of Ireland as well as by immigrants trying to break away from traditional Irish clans. It is now a common surname in both the United States and Ireland.
Order DNA origin analysisO'Ryan: Where does the name O'Ryan come from?
The last name O'Ryan can be found mainly in Ireland and parts of the United Kingdom today. The name is derived from the name Ó Riagháin, which is an old Irish Gaelic surname that translates to mean "descendant of Riaghán". The root of this name comes from the name Riaghán, which means ‘little poet’ or ‘kingly’.
The O'Ryan last name can also be found in large numbers in the United States. The US Census Bureau estimates that in 2019, there were over 8,614 people with the O'Ryan surname in the United States. This last name can mainly be found in states that had large numbers of Irish immigrants settling in the 19th century, such as New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Florida, Illinois, and New Jersey.
The O'Ryan name is also quite common in Canada today. The Government of Canada’s 2001 Census reported that there were 5,587 people with the O'Ryan surname living in Canada at the time.
Today, the last name O'Ryan can be found in many Irish and Irish-American families in other countries as well, such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. As the popularity of the Irish diaspora continues to grow around the world, the last name O'Ryan is likely to continue to become more and more common.
Variations of the surname O'Ryan
The surname O’Ryan has many variants and spellings. It is an anglicized form of the Irish surnames “O Riain” and “O Muireagain”, which translate to “son of Riain” and “son of Muireagain”.
Variations and spellings of the surname O’Ryan include O’Meara, O'Maire, O'Mearan, Meara, Mearan, O’Mara, O’Marah, O’Meara, O’Mearan, O’Mearhan, O’Muireagáin, O’Riain, O’Reayn, O’Reane, O’Ryan, Reayn, Reane, Ryane, Ryen, Ryon, Wayson, and Wrayn.
O’Ryan is a common name in Ireland with a number of branches within the surname. It is most commonly found in County Cork and County Waterford in southern Ireland, where the majority of O’Ryans are descendants of Cormac. Other areas where the surname is common include County Kilkenny and County Sligo in the west of Ireland, as well as in County Wexford near the east coast.
The surname is found in other countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, where it is commonly spelled O’Ryan and O’Rian. In some cases where the surname has been misspelled, Ryan can also be used as an alternative spelling.
In summary, the variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname O’Ryan are O’Meara, O'Maire, O'Mearan, Meara, Mearan, O’Mara, O’Marah, O’Meara, O’Mearan, O’Mearhan, O’Muireagáin, O’Riain, O’Reayn, O’Reane, O’Ryan, Reayn, Reane, Ryane, Ryen, Ryon, Wayson, Wrayn, and Ryan.
Famous people with the name O'Ryan
- O'Ryan the Omen is an independent hip-hop recording artist. He is originally from East Oakland, California and is a member of the Monsta Mob and Anarchy Productionz.
- Sol O'Ryan is the lead actor of the 2017 film 'Coldwater'.
- Cody O'Ryan is an American poker player from Wisconsin. He has won some of the major live and online tournaments.
- Margaret O'Ryan is a Canadian theatre actress who has performed for productions in Toronto, New York and the Guthrie theater in Minneapolis.
- Richard O'Ryan is an American chef who has opened up several successful restaurants in the United States. He is best known for his innovative fusion cuisine.
- Dale O'Ryan is the host of the podcast 'Ride with Dale'. It showcases inspiring stories from around the world.
- Bart O'Ryan is a singer and songwriter from Texas. He has written and performed several popular songs including 'My Little Lady.'
- Alanna O'Ryan is a British actress and writer from London. She has acted in numerous television shows and films.
- Rose O'Ryan is a Polynesian dancer and singer from New Zealand. She has been performing as a solo artist for over 15 years.
- Seth O'Ryan is an American football player who plays for the Detroit Lions. He has been named to the Pro Bowl squad six times.