Hyland — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Ó hAoláin
Meaning: 'wolf (from faol)'
Traditional stronghold: Kilkenny, Laois
Pronunciation: HY-lund; Irish Ó hAoláin: oh AY-lawn
History of the Hyland name
Hyland generally represents Ó hAoláin, a variant of Ó Faoláin, from faol, 'wolf', the same name that produced Whelan and Phelan; the initial F was lost in speech and the anglicisation drifted toward the English-looking Hyland. The name is most associated with the south midlands and southeast, particularly Kilkenny, Laois and Offaly, the old territory where the Ó Faoláin name in all its forms is thickest. Some Hylands in Ireland are of English origin, from a name meaning 'high land', but the majority descend from the Gaelic stock. The name travelled widely with nineteenth-century emigration to Britain, America and Australia.
Variants: Hiland · Hylands
Famous bearers of the name
- Áine Hyland — Professor emerita of education at UCC and influential voice in Irish education reform.
- Sarah Hyland — American actress of Irish descent, star of Modern Family.
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Walsh · Moore · Dunne · Brennan · Fitzpatrick · Tobin · Purcell · Dowling