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Irish surname

Walsh: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Breathnach · 'the Welshman' (Woulfe: 'Breathnach', more correctly Breatnach)

Walsh is the English translation of the Irish surname Breathnach, 'the Welshman'. Woulfe (1923) explains it was a descriptive name given to the early Anglo-Norman invaders who came to Ireland from Wales, so many distinct families bear it. In 1890 it was the fourth most numerous surname in Ireland and the leading surname in Co. Mayo.

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Coat of arms associated with the Walsh surname
Irish formBreathnach
Meaning'the Welshman' (Woulfe: 'Breathnach', more correctly Breatnach)
CountiesMayo, Cork, Waterford, Wexford
Other spellings8

Origin of the Walsh name

Not a Gaelic sept name. Woulfe calls Breathnach 'a descriptive surname applied generically to the early Anglo-Norman invaders who came hither from Wales', adding 'there are naturally many distinct families so called'. The Norman equivalent, de Bhailéis ('the Welshman'), also gives Walsh.[1][2]

  1. 1646Theologian Peter Walsh returns to Ireland and joins the Ormond party.[3]
  2. 1672Peter Walsh publishes his History of the Remonstrance.[3]
  3. 1788Vallancey lists Walsh among the old colonist names of Forth and Bargy.[8]
  4. 1850Poet and translator Edward Walsh dies in Cork.[4]
  5. 1890Walsh ranks fourth in Ireland, about 41,700 people (Matheson).[5]

Where in Ireland

Co. MayoIn 1890 Walsh was the leading surname in Co. Mayo.[7]
Co. CorkFirst in Matheson's 1890 list of counties where Walsh was principally found.[6]
Co. WaterfordRecorded there in early times, and among the main Walsh counties in 1890.[6][8]
Co. WexfordVallancey (1788) lists Walsh among the old colonist names of the baronies of Forth and Bargy.[8]
Co. GalwayAmong the counties where Walsh was principally found in 1890.[6]

Notable people named Walsh

Peter Walsh, D.D.early 17th century – 1687Professor of Divinity at Louvain, born at Moortown, Co. Kilkenny; ally of Ormond; wrote the History of the Remonstrance.[3]
Edward Walsh1805–1850Poet and schoolmaster; edited Jacobite Relics of Ireland and published verse translations from the Irish.[4]

Other spellings

Walshe · Brannagh · Brennagh · Brehnagh · Brethnagh · Brathnagh · Wallis · Wallace[1]

The Walsh coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Walsh surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Walsh crest gifts

Clan Walsh Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapQC61 Classic Cap - Walsh Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Walsh Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

Walsh surname: questions

What does the surname Walsh mean?

Woulfe gives Walsh as a translation of the Irish Breathnach, 'the Welshman', a name given to the early Anglo-Norman invaders who came to Ireland from Wales.[1]

Is Walsh an Irish name?

It is one of the most numerous surnames in Ireland, but it is not Gaelic in origin: Woulfe says it was applied to the early invaders who came from Wales, and that many distinct families bear it.[1][5]

What is Walsh in Irish?

Breathnach (more correctly Breatnach, says Woulfe). The Norman form de Bhailéis or de Bhailís has the same meaning, 'the Welshman'.[1][2]

Where in Ireland is the Walsh name most common?

Matheson's 1890 figures show Walsh in large numbers in nearly every county, principally Cork, Mayo, Waterford, Galway, Dublin and Wexford; it was the leading surname in Mayo.[6][7]

How common is the surname Walsh in Ireland?

Matheson's table from the 1890 Births Index places Walsh fourth in Ireland, with an estimated 41,700 people of the name.[5]

Sources

  1. Breathnach — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/b/breathnach.php
  2. de Bhailéis, de Bhailís — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/d/de-bhaileis-de-bhailis-de-bhailis.php
  3. Peter Walsh, D.D. — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/PeterWalshDD.php
  4. Edward Walsh — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/EdwardWalsh.php
  5. Principal Surnames in Ireland (table of 100 principal surnames, Births Index 1890) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/principal-surnames-ireland.php
  6. Walsh — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/walsh.php
  7. Summary of the Distribution of Surnames — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/summary-distribution.php
  8. Welsh Names — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/welsh-names.php

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).