Fitzpatrick (surname)

Fitzpatrick (/fɪtsˈpætrɪk/ ^ⓘ) is an Irish surname that most commonly arose as an anglicised version of the Irish patronymic surname Mac Giolla Phádraig (Irish: [mˠək ˈɟɪl̪ˠə ˈfˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ])^[1] "Son of the servant of (St.) Patrick".^[2]

In some cases, it may also have independently arisen by a similar anglicisation of a likely-distinct Irish patronymic, Ó Maol Phádraig,^[3] "Descendent of the Follower of (St.) Patrick", or in other cases as a genuine Anglo-Irish patronymic incorporating the Norman French fitz ('son of') and the male name Patrick.^[1][4]

Giolla Phádraig (meaning "the servant of [Saint] Patrick", also one of origins of the surname Gilpatrick) was the personal name of Gilla Patráic mac Donnchada, a tenth-century king of Ossory. His sons were subsequently styled Mac Giolla Phádraig (meaning, son of Giolla Phádraig),

The Fitzpatrick surname may have also been adopted later amongst other unrelated Irish families, such as the Maguires of Fermanagh.^[1] Like the related Kilpatrick and Mulpatrick, the surname was sometimes shortened to Patrick.^[1]

The 1901 census of Ireland indicated the top five counties for the surname Fitzpatrick, by birth, were County Cavan, followed by counties Laois, Dublin, Down and Cork.^[5]