Lowry — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Ó Labhradha
Meaning: 'descendant of Labhradh (spokesman)'
Traditional stronghold: Down, Tyrone
Pronunciation: LOW-ree (rhyming with dowry); Irish Ó Labhradha: oh LOW-ra-ha
History of the Lowry name
Ó Labhradha derives from labhradh, speech, and is usually interpreted as spokesman. The sept belonged to east Ulster, where the name was anglicised Lavery in the Down heartland of Moira and Magheralin and Lowry further west in Tyrone; branches of the Laverys were distinguished as Baun-Lavery, Roe-Lavery and Trin-Lavery, from bán, rua and tréan, white, red and strong. Scottish and English Lowrys also settled in Ulster during the plantations, so northern bearers may be of either stock. The name spread south over time, and in recent years Offaly golfer Shane Lowry, son of a footballing All-Ireland winner, has made it internationally famous.
Variants: Lowrey · Lavery
Famous bearers of the name
- Shane Lowry — Offaly golfer who won the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
- Michael Lowry — Long-serving and controversial Tipperary politician and former minister.
- Dan Lowrey — Music-hall proprietor whose Star of Erin theatre became Dublin's Olympia.
Related names from the same part of Ireland: O'Neill · Murray · Quinn · Donnelly · Rooney · McGrath · Garvey · Devlin