O'Murchadh families lived in Wexford, Roscommon, and Cork, in which county it is now most common, with the MacMurchadhs of the Sligo and Tyrone area responsible for most of the Murphys in Ulster. Tell us about any famous GREEN (or surname variant) you think we should add here. (Part 3 of 3) Discover their newly found untold story and how forgotten texts bring their story back to life. Become a Friend of IrishCentral - help us to continue bringing Ireland to you. Byrne, originally O’Byrne, comes from the Irish O'Broin meaning "descended from Bran,” an 11th century King of Leinster. In fact, that Irish name may actually be the earliest surname recorded in all of Europe. Coronavirus live updates: More than 900 cases reported today in Northern Ireland, On This Day: Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter is officially launched in 1962, Irish ancestry unearthed - every census since 1926 online, Tír Na nÓg - The legend of Oisín, Niamh and land of eternal youth. A person was identified by his given name plus “mac,” meaning “son of,” followed by his father’s name. We have THREE live pilots on now and we just need pledges from people to help with donations and fundraising. In 1891 there were 12,683 Green families living in London. However, Kelly is a popular first name for women in the U.S. Kellys may have bright heads, but O’Sullivans have hawk-like eyes. It is a help when tracing your family history to know something about the origin of and evolution of Irish names and particularly how names have changed over the centuries. This Green surname origin is from a Northern Ui Neill [R1b-L513] tribe. Thanks! Who are you supporting in the 2020 US presidential election? It is usually of pre 7th century origins, and derives from the word "grene" meaning green. One Green story [dominated by DNA tribal marker R1b-L513, Subgroup A1] can trace their origins to the Finn Valley in Donegal, Ireland from 50 BCE. The Green story begins in pre-history Ireland then moves to Scotland as they form part of the Dalriada. We don't know if my great grandfather died or just disappeared. If you would like to help with a donation pledge, or help fundraise, just submit your email here and we will send you more information on the projects and detail on how you can help. Many surnames originated as occupational or descriptive names. I think that my grandfather's full name is Billy Junior Green. Guppy, London 1890, Special Report on Irish Surnames, R.E. The name McEaneny for example has a number of variants including McAneny and Bird (the Irish word for bird is éan).