O'Mara — Family Name, Records and Arms

People named O'Mara carry an Irish surname with a long history.

What does the surname O'Mara mean?

The usual explanation, from Elsdon Smith, is “grandson of Meadhair (mirth)”. According to the 2010 US Census, the O'Mara surname had 4,792 bearers.

Where is the O'Mara surname found?

Related forms include O'Meara.

Does every O'Mara family have a crest?

Heraldry is personal. Arms recorded for an O'Mara family belonged to that family, and other bearers of the name may have no link to them.

Want more than a summary? See the O'Mara family name pack.