An Irish surname meaning 'raven' or 'descendant of Bran.' Also refers to various notable people with this surname.
From Irish Gaelic 'Ó Broin', meaning 'descendant of Bran', where 'bran' means 'raven'. The name was anglicized to Byrne during English colonization of Ireland, with various spelling variations including O'Byrne and Burns.
The surname Byrne connects to ancient Celtic mythology where ravens were considered mystical messengers between worlds, making it one of Ireland's most symbolically rich family names. David Byrne of Talking Heads shares this name with thousands of Irish descendants worldwide, all theoretically linked to a raven-associated ancestor.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.