O'Sullivan - Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Ó Súilleabháin
Meaning: “dark-eyed one”
Traditional stronghold: Cork, Kerry
Pronunciation: oh-suh-LIV-an; Irish O Suileabhain: oh SOOL-uh-vawn
History of the O'Sullivan name
The name derives from suil, 'eye', and is usually taken to mean 'one-eyed' or 'hawk-eyed'. Originally based around Knockgraffon in Tipperary as part of the Eoghanacht, the O'Sullivans were pushed west by the Anglo-Norman advance and re-established themselves as one of the most powerful lordships in Munster, split into O'Sullivan Mor around Kenmare and O'Sullivan Beare around the Beara peninsula in west Cork and Kerry. After the defeat at Kinsale, Donal O'Sullivan Beare led an epic 1602-03 midwinter march of thousands of followers from Beara to Leitrim. O'Sullivan is now the third most common surname in Ireland, still densest in Cork and Kerry.
Variants: Sullivan · O'Sullavan · Solivan
Famous bearers of the name
- Ronnie O'Sullivan - English-born snooker champion with strong Irish family roots
- Sonia O'Sullivan - Cork athlete, Olympic silver medallist and world champion runner
- Maureen O'Sullivan - Roscommon-born Hollywood actress, mother of Mia Farrow
- John L. Sullivan - Irish-American world heavyweight boxing champion
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Murphy · O'Connor · McCarthy · Daly · O'Connell · Collins · Fitzgerald · Flynn