Lewis

An Irish surname of Antrim, Cork, Dublin, and Tipperary. In the 2010 US census it was carried by 531,781 people, the 29th most common surname in the country.

Lobhaois. This family stood in Co. Cork, Co. Dublin, Co. Kildare, Co. Limerick, Co. Waterford, and Co. Wexford.

Where the name comes from

Lobhaois is son of Lewis, for the French Louis, a common personal name representing the older Clovis: the Frankish Hludwig, the modern German Ludwig, latinised as Chlodovisus along the way. The family came about the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion and settled in Dublin, Kildare, Wexford, Waterford, Cork and Limerick. Lewes of Leweston, also called Lowes of Lowston, was one of the principal gentlemen of Co. Wexford in 1598.

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

The Lewis counties, photographed

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

Cork

Cork is the largest county in Ireland. Three peninsulas run west into the Atlantic: Beara, Sheep's Head and Mizen, with the population thinning the further out you go. My gallery is in Glengarriff at the head of Bantry Bay, so it's the ground I photograph most.

Rugged Atlantic coastline at Allihies, Cork, Ireland, with layered slate cliffs, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxAllihies Coast, Cork Co. Cork Sunset over Dun an Oir ruins and sea stacks on Cape Clear Island, Cork, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxDún an Óir, Cape Clear Island, Cork Co. Cork The Fastnet Lighthouse standing proud on a calm summer evening off West Cork in black and white panoramic viewThe Fastnet Lighthouse, Co. Cork Co. Cork

Dublin

Dublin is a county as well as a city. The bay has Howth at the north end and Killiney Hill at the south, the Muglins are a pair of rocks off Dalkey, and the Dublin Mountains start about half an hour from the city centre.

Moonlight reflecting on the sea near the Muglins lighthouse off Dalkey Island, Dublin, with the Kish light on the horizonThe Muglins by Moonlight II Co. Dublin Long exposure panoramic view of the White Rock swimming platform at Killiney Bay, Dublin, floating in misty high-tide watersThe White Rock, Killiney Bay, Co. Dublin Co. Dublin Heron fishing at dawn on the Dublin coast — fine art wildlife photograph by Peter CoxHeron, Co. Dublin Co. Dublin

Tipperary

Tipperary is landlocked. The Golden Vale running through it is the best dairy land in Ireland. The Galtees are along the southern border, with Galtymore at 917 metres. The Rock of Cashel is a limestone outcrop with a medieval cathedral and round tower on top of it.

Aerial panoramic view of the Rock of Cashel at sunset, medieval towers glowing on a limestone outcrop in TipperaryThe Rock of Cashel, Tipperary Co. Tipperary Aerial vertical view of the Rock of Cashel at sunset, medieval ruins catching golden light on the Tipperary plainThe Rock of Cashel, Tipperary (vertical) Co. Tipperary

All Antrim prints · All Cork prints · All Dublin prints · All Tipperary prints

Notable bearers

C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), writer, university teacher, and theologian.

Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951), writer, journalist, and novelist.

Jerry Lewis (1926-2017), actor, writer, and singer.

Carl Lewis (born 1961), basketball player, poet, and athletics competitor.

Jerry Lee Lewis (1935-2022), singer, musician, and composer.

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, 51 births were registered under Lewis in Ireland, most of them in Antrim, Cork, Dublin, and Tipperary.

Ulster 18
Leinster 16
Munster 16
Connacht 1
Ireland 51