An Irish surname meaning 'descendant of the red-haired one'. Also used as a given name.
From Irish Ó Floinn, from flann meaning 'red, ruddy'. The name originated in County Cork and spread throughout Ireland before becoming common in English-speaking countries.
The Flynn surname is tied to ancient Irish hair color genetics - red hair occurs in about 4% of Irish people due to MC1R gene variants. Errol Flynn, the swashbuckling actor, made the name synonymous with dashing adventure in Hollywood's golden age.
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