Walsh (surname)

Walsh is a common Irish surname, meaning "Briton" or "foreigner", literally "Welshman", taken to Ireland by British (Welsh, Cornish and Cumbrian) soldiers during and after the Norman invasion of Ireland. It is most common in County Mayo and County Kilkenny. It is the fourth most common surname in Ireland, and the 265th most common in the United States. There are variants including "Walshe", "Welsh", "Brannagh", and "Breathnach". Walsh is uncommon as a given name. The name is often pronounced "Welsh" in the south and west of the country.