DRISCOLL
Driscoll is a surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Ó Drisceoil, meaning "descendant of Driscoll." The root of the personal name is the Gaelic word drios, denoting a "bramble" or "thorn bush," a term that reflects the natural landscape familiar to the ancestors of the name.
The surname is most commonly found in County Cork, particularly in South West Cork. It is closely associated with the town of Baltimore, where, in 1460, the chief of the sept founded a Franciscan monastery. The clan, which was exclusively located in this region, is recorded as having held considerable territorial importance during the medieval period, although that influence waned in the 17th century.
The original Gaelic designation, O hEidersceoil, was later transposed to O Drisceoil. The O’Driscolls descend from an individual known as Eidersceoil, a name means "the intermediary" or "interpreter," born around 910 AD. The family’s early history is attested in the Cora Laoidh of South West Cork, with the earliest recorded spelling, O'Drisceoil, dated to circa 1400 during the reign of King Henry IV, who was known as "Henry of Bolingbroke."
During the 17th century, many of the leading men of the O’Driscoll sept fought in the army of James I in Ireland, signalling the family’s continued involvement in national affairs despite the decline of their local territorial power.
Heraldic evidence associated with the family describes a coat of arms featuring an ancient galley with black furled sails set against a silver field, with a cormorant perched on the crest. This imagery underscores the nautical heritage that may have been significant to the clan in its earlier days.
The contemporary use of the surname is typically in its anglicised form, Driscoll, though variations such as Driscol can also be found. The name remains a testament to the Gaelic linguistic and cultural heritage of Ireland, and it continues to be borne by descendants across the British Isles and abroad.
Typical given names associated with the Driscoll surname
Male
- Daniel
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Peter
- Stephen
Female
- Angela
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Joanne
- Julie
- Linda
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Driscoll in...
Braille
⠙⠗⠊⠎⠉⠕⠇⠇
Morse
-...-......-.-.---.-...-..
Semaphore
There are approximately 6,078 people named Driscoll in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,556th most common surname in Britain. Around 93 in a million people in Britain are named Driscoll.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Driscoll
- Robin Driscoll - Actor
- Richard Driscoll - Actor and director
- Jim Driscoll - Welsh boxer (1880 to 1925)
- Andy Driscoll - Football player
- Peter Driscoll - Writer (1942 to 2005)
- Barry Driscoll - Wildlife artist (1926 to 2006)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.