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Ryan History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Sources

Ryan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Ryan

What does the name Ryan mean?

Today's Irish surnames are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The name Ryan originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Maoilriain, formerly Mulryan, but now abbreviated to Ó Riain. 1

Early Origins of the Ryan family

The surname Ryan was first found in County Tipperary (Irish: Thiobraid Árann), established in the 13th century in South-central Ireland, in the province of Munster. 1

According to O'Hart, the family claim descent from the Heremon Kings of Ireland through the MacMorough pedigree, specifically Cormac, brother of Eoghan who was ancestor of O'Righin; anglicized Mulrain, O'Ryan, Ryan and Ryne. (O'Hart)

However, MacLysaght claims the family claim descent from O Maoilriain located in Owney, formerly called Owney O'Mulryan which forms two modern baronies on the borders of Limerick and Tipperary. 2 As both authorities were Chief Heralds of Ireland in their own time, we must leave the reader to ponder which of the two is more likely.

Early History of the Ryan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ryan research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1694, 1709, 1732 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Ryan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ryan Spelling Variations

The Middle Ages saw a great number of spelling variations for surnames common to the Irish landscape. One reason for these variations is the fact that surnames were not rigidly fixed by this period because the general population had to rely on local official's understanding of how their name should be spelt, hence spellings in records often changed through a person's lifetime. The following variations for the name Ryan were encountered in the archives: O'Ryan, Ryan, Mulrian, Mulryan, O'Mulrian and many more.

Early Notables of the Ryan family

Father Abraham Ryan, Poet
Lacy Ryan (c. 1694-1760), English actor who appeared at the Haymarket Theatre about 1709. He was the son of a tailor, of descent presumedly Irish, was born in the parish of St. Margaret, Westminster...

Ryan World Ranking

the United States, the name Ryan is the 203^rd most popular surname with an estimated 126,837 people with that name. 3 However, in Canada, the name Ryan is ranked the 172^nd most popular surname with an estimated 20,630 people with that name. 4 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Ryan is the 9^th popular surname with an estimated 1,085 people with that name. 5 Australia ranks Ryan as 19^th with 53,483 people. 6 New Zealand ranks Ryan as 94^th with 4,121 people. 7 The United Kingdom ranks Ryan as 186^th with 29,937 people. 8

Ryan migration to the United States +

Ireland became inhospitable for many native Irish families in the 19th centuries. Poverty, lack of opportunities, high rents, and discrimination forced thousands to leave the island for North America. The largest exodus of Irish settlers occurred with the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. For these immigrants the journey to British North America and the United States was long and dangerous and many did not live to see the shores of those new lands. Those who did make it were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest and most powerful nations of the world. These Irish immigrants were not only important for peopling the new settlements and cities, they also provided the manpower needed for the many industrial and agricultural projects so essential to these growing nations. Immigration and passenger lists have documented the arrival of various people bearing the name Ryan to North America:

Ryan Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edmond Ryan, aged 36, who landed in New York in 1679 10

Ryan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Anthony Ryan, who arrived in New England in 1743 10

Ryan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jacob Ryan, who landed in Maryland in 1828 10
Ferquis Ryan, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1828 10
Cornelius Ryan, who landed in Mississippi in 1844 10
David Ryan, aged 29, who landed in Missouri in 1844 10
Elizabeth Ryan, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1846 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ryan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

George L Ryan, who landed in Mississippi in 1903 10
Mr. Michael E. Ryan, (b. 1855), aged 50, Cornish gardener travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to New York, USA 11

Ryan migration to Canada +

Ryan Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. John Ryan U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 he became a Freeman in 1785 was a King's Printer for New Brunswick, he died in 1847 12
Mr. John Ryan U.E. who settled in St. Stephen, New Brunswick c. 1784 12
Mr. Michael Ryan U.E. who settled in St. Andrews, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 12
Mr. William Ryan U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 he became a Freeman in 1785 was a Cooper 12

Ryan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Ellen Ryan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1809
Grace Ryan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1813
Eleanor Butler Ryan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1830
David Ryan, aged 26, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the barque "Independence" from Kinsale, Ireland
John Ryan, aged 28, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Ward" from Limerick, Ireland
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ryan migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet, Second Fleet and Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet

Mr. John Ryan, (1760 - 1815), aged 29, British settler convicted at Somerset, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing tools, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 9

Second Fleet

Mr. Thomas Ryan, British settler convicted in Middlesex, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Admiral Barrington" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 10

Third Fleet

Mr. John Ryan, (b. 1764), aged 23, Irish settler convicted in London on 14th January 1784, sentenced for 7 years for stealing clothing, transported aboard the ship "Friendship" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 10
Mr. Thomas Ryan, British seaman on the support ship for the First Fleet the "Fishburn" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788

Following the First, Second and Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Ryan Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. John Ryan, Irish settler who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for life for , transported aboard the "Friendship" on 24th August 1799, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13

Ryan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Ryan, Irish convict who was convicted in Queen's County, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
Miss. Mary Ryan, Irish convict who was convicted in Clare, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
Mr. Michael Ryan, (b. 1773), aged 28, Irish convict who was convicted in Queen's County, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
Mr. George Ryan, British settler who was convicted in Wiltshire, England for 7 years for stealing a spoon, transported aboard the "Fortune And Alexander" on 31st December 1805, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr. Thomas Ryan, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Boyd" on 10th March 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ryan Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century

"Miss Ellen Ryan, (b. 1808), aged 20, Irish servant from Tipperary who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ""Competitor"" on 9th June 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia" 16
"Miss Mary Ryan, (b. 1811), aged 17, English house maid who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life for stealing, transported aboard the ""Competitor"" on 9th June 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia" 16

Ryan migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Ryan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Michael Ryan, aged 24, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1840
Mary Ann Ryan, aged 33, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1840
Michael Ryan, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Inchinnan" in 1852 17
Eliza Ryan, aged 25, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Inchinnan" in 1852 17
Patrick Ryan, aged 6, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Inchinnan" in 1852 17
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Ryan (post 1700) +

Kevin Ryan (1952-2025), American politician, Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1993 until his death in 2025
Patrick J. Ryan (1939-2025), American academic and Jesuit priest, McGinley Professor of Religion and Society at Fordham University (2009-2022)
George Homer Ryan (1934-2025), American politician, 39th Governor of Illinois from 1999 to 2003
Elizabeth Montague "Bunny" Ryan (1892-1979), American tennis player who won 26 Grand Slam titles, 19 in women's doubles and mixed doubles at Wimbledon, an all-time record for those two events
Kaseem Ryan (1972-2024), better known by his stage name Ka, was an American rapper, producer, and firefighter
Frank Beall Ryan (1936-2024), American professional NFL football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams (1958–1961), Cleveland Browns (1962–1968), and Washington Redskins (1969–1970)
Allan A. Ryan Jr. (1945-2023), American attorney, author and university and law school professor, known for helping identify and prosecuted dozens of Nazi collaborators living in the United States, earning him a reputation as America’s foremost Nazi hunter
Eileen Ryan (1927-2022), née Annucci, an American actress, wife of actor and director Leo Penn, and the mother of actors Sean Penn and Chris Penn
Mitchell Ryan (1934-2022), American film, television, and stage actor, best known for playing Burke Devlin in the 1960s gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, and later for his co-starring role as Thomas Gibson's father Edward Montgomery on Dharma & Greg
... (Another 56 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Ryan family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. John Ryan, British Fireman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 18
Mr. Thomas Ryan, British Trimmer from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 19
Mrs. Edith Alice Ryan (1870-1914), née Lewandon Canadian Third Class Passenger from Golden, British Columbia, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 19
Mr. Alfred Theodorus Ryan (1868-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Golden, British Columbia, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 19
Master Edward Ryan (1909-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 19
... (Another 34 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Ryan Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Malo mori quam fodari
Motto Translation: I would rather die than be disgraced.

Sources +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Boyd
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/competitor
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance