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Surname · Irish origin

O’Brien

Irish patronymic
Meaning
The surname O’Brien means Descendant of Brian.
Origin
Irish
Type
patronymic
Variants
2

The origin of the surname O’Brien

O’Brien means “descendant of Brian,” the high king Brian Boru.

What kind of surname is O’Brien?

O’Brien is a patronymic surname, derived from a father's or ancestor's given name. It belongs to the Irish naming tradition — you can read how Irish surnames were formed on our Irish last names page.

Variants & spellings of O’Brien

You may also see this surname written as:

  • OBrien
  • Brien

Other Irish surnames

Boyle
 
Descendant of Baoghal
Brennan
 
Descendant of Braonán
Byrne
 
Descendant of Bran (raven)
Callaghan
 
Descendant of the bright-headed
Connolly
 
Fierce as a hound
Daly
 
Descendant of Dálach
Doyle
 
Dark stranger
Duffy
 
Descendant of the dark one
Flynn
 
Descendant of Flann (ruddy)
Hogan
 
Youth

Other patronymic surnames

Family names formed the same way, from different cultures.

Bahrami
 
Relating to Bahram
Jimenez
 
Son of Jimeno
Ahmadzadeh
 
Son of Ahmad
Anderson
 
Son of Andrew
Garcia
 
Of debated, likely Basque origin
Svensson
 
Son of Sven

Frequently asked questions

What does the surname O’Brien mean?

The surname O’Brien means Descendant of Brian. O’Brien means “descendant of Brian,” the high king Brian Boru.

Where does the surname O’Brien come from?

O’Brien is a surname of Irish origin.

What kind of surname is O’Brien?

O’Brien is a patronymic surname, derived from a father's or ancestor's given name.

What are other spellings of O’Brien?

Variant spellings of O’Brien include OBrien, Brien.

What are other Irish surnames?

Other Irish surnames include Boyle, Brennan, Byrne, Callaghan, Connolly, Daly.

More Irish last names