All surnames

Irish surname

Byrne

Descendant of Bran

Clan or community name

Byrne (Ó Broin) means 'descendant of Bran', a personal name meaning 'raven'. The O’Byrnes were a powerful Leinster family who controlled much of what is now County Wicklow after being driven from their original lands in Kildare by the Normans.

They were known for their long resistance to English authority. The surname is still concentrated in Wicklow and Dublin but is found throughout Ireland and the diaspora. Variants include O’Byrne and Beirne.

Give the Byrne name a real family story

Build a family tree with everyone's actual names, photos and relationships.

Build your family tree

Frequently asked questions

What does the surname Byrne mean?+

Descendant of Bran. From Irish "O Broin"; Bran means "raven" in Irish.

Is Byrne a common surname?+

Byrne is a Irish-origin surname. Popularity varies widely by country and region, and the same surname can be common in one place and rare in another.

Can two families with the same surname be unrelated?+

Yes. Surnames, especially occupational and descriptive ones like this, were often adopted independently by many unrelated families who happened to share a trade, appearance, or location.

Is my search logged?+

No account or personal details are required to look up a surname's meaning - this page is static reference content.