Walsh (surname)
| Walsh Breathnach, Branagh, Brannagh Walch, Wallace, Wallis, Walshe, Welch, Welsh | |
|---|---|
Walsh of Castlehale coat of arms | |
| Historic seat | Castlehale (Walsh of the Mountains, Kilkenny) Carrickmines Castle (Walsh of Carrickmines, Dublin) |
Walsh (Irish: Breathnach) is a common Irish surname, meaning "Briton" or "foreigner" (literally "Welshman" or "Wales"), taken to Ireland by soldiers from Britain, namely Welsh, Cambro-Norman, Cornish and Cumbrian soldiers during and after the Norman invasion of Ireland. It is the fourth most common surname in Ireland, and the 265th most common in the United States. There are variants including "Walshe", “Welch”, "Welsh", and "Brannagh" (an anglicisation of the Irish form). Walsh is uncommon as a given name. The name is often pronounced "Welsh" in the south and west of the country. In Great Britain, Guppy encountered the name only in Lancashire. It is the surname of the Barons Ormathwaite.