Black

An Irish surname of Antrim. In the 2010 US census it was carried by 154,738 people, the 174th most common surname in the country.

Black is the anglicised form of four distinct Irish names. Some you can hear in the English name; others look and sound nothing like it, and were simply swapped for it.

Mac Duibh

Mac Giolla Dhuibh, son of Giolla Dubh (the black youth). This family stood in the barony of Kilconnell in Co. Galway, the barony of Tullygarvey in Co. Cavan, and Co. Sligo.

Ó Dubhthaigh, descendant of Dubhthach (black). This family stood in Co. Donegal and Co. Monaghan.

Ó Duibh, descendant of Dubh (Black). This family stood in Co. Laois.

Where the name comes from

Black is almost always a translation. Mac Duibh is son of Dubh, a personal name meaning black, and it gives MacDuff and Duff as well; there is also a Scottish clan Mac Duibh, of which the old Earls of Fife were the heads.

Mac Giolla Dhuibh, son of the black youth, names three families: a Cavan one whose head was chief of the barony (an old land division, several parishes across) of Tullygarvey, one in Ui Maine whose head was chief of Caladh in the barony of Kilconnell, Co. Galway, and one of the Ui Fiachrach race in Co. Sligo.

Ó Dubhthaigh, descendant of Dubhthach, is found in all parts of Ireland and is doubtless several distinct families. The O'Duffys of Connacht are remarkable for the number of eminent prelates they gave to the church in that province, and they were a family of note in Monaghan as well. In Munster the name is generally anglicised Duhig, from the pronunciation of the final g.

Ó Duibh was an old family in Leix who were chiefs of Cinel Criomhthainn, in the present barony of East Maryborough.

The Giant's Causeway at twilight with wet hexagonal basalt columns stretching to the sea and long exposure blurred waves
The Giant's Causeway, Co. Antrim

Antrim, photographed

Photographs made in Antrim.

Antrim

The Antrim coast road runs about 25 miles between the cliffs and the sea, with nine glens coming down to it. The rock is basalt, the same flow that formed the Giant's Causeway. Scotland is 12 miles off at the narrowest point and visible on a clear day.

The iconic Dark Hedges beech tree tunnel near Armoy in County Antrim with intertwined branches forming a brooding canopyThe Dark Hedges, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Long exposure of Pan's Rock with its footbridge at dawn on the Antrim Causeway Coast, silky water and blurred clouds, Rathlin Island on the horizonPan's Rock, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Sunrise over Colliery Bay with Fair Head cliffs and mountains, Co. Antrim, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxColliery Bay & Fair Head, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Dunluce Castle on coastal cliffs with long exposure sea, Co. Antrim, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxDunluce Castle, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Black and white photograph of a rainstorm sweeping across the Skerries islands off the North Antrim coast near PortrushRainstorm, the Skerries, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Sunset over Bengore Head with waves rolling over rocks, Co. Antrim, Ireland — fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxBengore Head, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Sunset over the Skerries coast in County Antrim with warm light reflecting on wet sand and rock formationsThe Skerries, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim

All Antrim prints

Notable bearers

Jack Black (born 1969), actor, singer, and musician.

Joseph Black (1728-1799), university teacher, physicist, and chemist.

James Black (1924-2010), university teacher, physician, and inventor.

Karen Black (1939-2013), actor, singer, and screenwriter.

Rebecca Black (born 1997), actor, singer, and film director.

About this page

The counties on this page are where the name was thickest on the ground in Ireland a century and a half ago, not a claim about any one family. Names moved around inside the country as much as they left it. The photographs are mine, made in the counties named.

More Irish surnames: Smith · Brown · Miller · Wilson · Anderson · Thomas · Taylor · Moore · Jackson · Martin · Lee · Thompson

How common the name was

In 1890, 116 births were registered under Black in Ireland, most of them in Antrim, Armagh, Down, and Tyrone.

Ulster 96
Leinster 15
Connacht 4
Munster 1
Ireland 116

Armagh, Down, and Tyrone are the ones I haven't worked in.