Ryans History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

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

Early Origins of the Ryans family

The surname Ryans 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. 2

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. 3 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 Ryans family

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

Ryans Spelling Variations

Names from the Middle Ages demonstrate many spelling variations. This is because the recording scribe or church official often decided as to how a person's name was spelt and in what language. Research into the name Ryans revealed many variations, including O'Ryan, Ryan, Mulrian, Mulryan, O'Mulrian and many more.

Early Notables of the Ryans family

Notable among the family name at this time was Father Abraham Ryan, Poet; and 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...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ryans Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ryans Ranking

In the United States, the name Ryans is the 14,197^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Ryans migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Ryans Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Patrick Ryans, aged 36, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Taymouth Castle" 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Ryans (post 1700) +

Charles W. Ryans, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Kentucky, 1932 6

The Ryans 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.

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
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/
South Australian Register Thursday 4th May 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Taymouth Castle 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/taymouthcastle1854.shtml
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html