Where does “Sullivan” come from?
Sullivan is the English form of the Irish surname Ó Súilleabháin, a patronymic derived from an ancestor whose name is of unknown origin.
Sullivan (English): A placename
Definitions
- A placename
Ancestry of “Sullivan”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | O'Sullivan | — |
| 2 | Irish | Ó Súilleabháin | — |
| 3 | Irish | Ó | Alternative form of ó used in surnames |
| 4 | Irish | ua | Archaic form of ó |
| 5 | Old Irish | áue | grandson |
| 6 | Primitive Irish | ᚐᚃᚔ | descendant |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | awyos | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ewh₂yos | grandfather |