O'Driscoll Surname Meaning & Origin
What the O'Driscoll last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
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Meaning and origin of the O'Driscoll last name
Meaning of the O'Driscoll last name: descendant of Eidirsceól ("interpreter"). O'Driscoll is from Ó hEidirsceoil, "descendant of Eidirsceól", a personal name meaning "interpreter, go-between". The O'Driscolls were the leading family of Corca Laoighdhe in south-west Cork, with castles around Baltimore, Sherkin and Cape Clear, and they were known as a seafaring people. They lost most of their lands after the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. The name remains very common in west Cork, and Driscoll is the usual American form. Corca Laoighdhe was an ancient territory covering the coast of south-west Cork, and the O'Driscolls controlled fishing and shipping in the area, including the harbours of Baltimore and Castlehaven. In 1631 Baltimore was raided by Barbary corsairs, who carried many of the townspeople into captivity. The prefix O' was often dropped in the 18th and 19th centuries and later restored. Many O'Driscolls emigrated to the United States and England.
Our historical archives hold much more on the O'Driscoll name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the O'Driscoll name in Ireland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, England and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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The researched O'Driscoll pack traces meaning, early bearers and migration routes, and includes a personalized O'Driscoll coat of arms.
O'Driscoll name FAQ
What does the O'Driscoll name mean?
Descendant of Eidirsceól ("interpreter"). Common variants include Driscoll, Driscol, O'Driscol.
Where does the O'Driscoll surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.
Is there a O'Driscoll coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single O'Driscoll crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized O'Driscoll coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).