Surname O'Tierny - Meaning and Origin

O'Tierny: What does the surname O'Tierny mean?

The last name O’Tierny is of Irish origin and is an Anglicization of the Gaelic surname Mac anTaoir which means "son of the leader" or "chief." The name was originally borne by a family who were chieftains in Connacht, Ireland. Traditionally, the surname was found in the provinces of Ulster and Connacht.

The O’Tierny family is a branch of the O’Connor family, descended from Tuathal Mac Augaire, the 115th High King of Ireland. The family were rulers around Lough Corrib and the islands of Galway from an ancient castle called Traigh Thierna, situated on the lake's western shore.

Today, many people with the last name O’Tierny are found in Ireland, as well as Scotland, Canada, the United States, and Australia. The name is quite rare, with fewer than 200 people bearing the surname in the United States.

Members of the O’Tierny family are proud of their Irish heritage, and many of them use the Irish spelling of their surname – Mac anTaoir – to hold onto their ancestral roots. Notable individuals with the last name O’Tierny include 18th Century Irish politician Sir Torlogh O'Tierney and Canadian war artist Edmund O'Tierney.

O'Tierny: Where does the name O'Tierny come from?

The last name O'Tierny is most commonly found in Ireland. The name is an anglicisation of the Irish surname Ó Tiarnaigh, which was a surname adopted by some members of the O'Connor clan in county Kerry. The O'Tierny's were a powerful clan in the area until the late 19th century and their history goes back even further, to the 10th century.

Today, the O'Tierny name can still be found in counties Kerry and Cork and has spread around Ireland to Dublin, Galway, and Donegal. There is also a prominent O'Tierny family in the United States, with most of them coming from Kildare and Longford. The family name is associated with several businesses and areas of expertise, such as finance, law, engineering, and agriculture.

Outside of Ireland, the O'Tierny family can be found in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. In the United States, the name is most commonly found in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. The O'Tierny family has been well established in America since the late 19th century.

To this day, the O'Tierny name is still seen in many counties of Ireland and the United States, as well as other countries around the world. The name stands for strength, power, and loyalty, which is why it has endured throughout the centuries.

Variations of the surname O'Tierny

The surname O'Tierny is derived from the Irish Gaelic name Ó Tíghearnaigh, translating as "descendant of Tíghearnaigh"; the surname itself derived from the personal name Tíghearnaigh, which is a shortened form of Tighearnach.

The variant spellings of this surname are primarily based in the Irish-Gaelic language, and transliterations may vary depending upon regional dialect. The most common spelling is O'Tierney, with numerous variants including O'Ternay, O'Terny, O'Tirnaigh, O'Tiernan, O'Tierney, O'Tearney and O'Tiarnach.

The O'Tierney surname is heavily intertwined with the surname O'Tarney, derived from a similar ancestry as the former, and as such many families will use the two names interchangeably. Variations of the surname O'Tarney include O'Tarnay, O'Tarny, O'Tarrney, O'Tanny, O'Tabney and O'Tahney.

The various surnames of the same origin have an extensive presence in the Ulster counties of Antrim, Monaghan, Tyrone, Fermanagh and Londonderry. These surnames are also found throughout the Irish Diaspora, especially in the Americas, Britain, and Australia.

Famous people with the name O'Tierny

• Barbara O'Tierney: The recipient of the Woman of the Year Award from the Irish American Women's Network in 2006, Barbara O'Tierney is also a respected public speaker, having addressed organizations and events all over the U.S.
• Joe O'Tierney: Joe O’Tierney is a former British professional football player who spent most of his career in the lower leagues in England and Scotland.
• Danny O'Tierney: Danny O'Tierney is an Irish actor known for his roles as Frank Boyle in the 2008 film Johnwick and as Chris in the 2009 drama Echoes.
• Tom O'Tierney: Tom O'Tierney is an Irish singer and songwriter who first rose to fame back in the late 90s with his debut single 'Get Up, Stand Up'.
• Louis O'Tierny: Louis O'Tierny is an Irish based hip hop artist known for his amazing beats and lyrical ability.
• Frank O'Tierny: Frank O'Tierny is an American chef who rose to fame with his dinner-party style cooking workshops on the Food Network.
• Mary O'Tierny: Mary O'Tierny is a nurse practitioner from Virginia Beach, Virginia, who is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area.
• Francine O'Tierny: Francine O’Tierny is an Irish American author and entrepreneur from New Hampshire who focuses on writing young-adult novels.
• John O'Tierny: John O’Tierny was an American professional basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1974 to 1978.
• Drew O'Tierny: Drew O’Tierny is a former professional tennis player from the United States, having represented his country on the international stage during the late 90s and early 2000s.

Other surnames

O'TierneyO'Tierney