Byrne

Byrne is a surname of Irish origin. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Broin, meaning “descendant of Bran,” with Bran as a personal name often associated with the raven. The name is historically common in Ireland, especially in the eastern counties, and among Irish diaspora communities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and beyond. The spelling is sometimes rendered as O’Byrne, and in historical records the Gaelic form Ó Broin may appear; the name has multiple English-language variants.

As a surname, Byrne has been borne by many notable individuals across fields such as arts, politics and sports. Examples include John Byrne (born 1950), a Canadian-American comic book writer and artist known for work on X-Men and the Fantastic Four; Brendan Byrne (1921–2018), an American politician who served as the governor of New Jersey from 1974 to 1982; and various actors, writers and athletes with the surname.

In addition to people, Byrne appears in toponyms and institutions in Ireland and elsewhere, reflecting historical families bearing the name. The name’s forms and spellings reflect its Gaelic origins, with examples including Ó Broin in older records and O’Byrne as a common modern Anglicization. The surname’s distribution and variants illustrate the patterns of Irish diaspora and naming practices over time.