Stephens

An Irish surname of Mayo. In the 2010 US census it was carried by 144,646 people, the 190th most common surname in the country.

Stephens 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 Giolla Steafáin, son of Giolla Steafáin (servant of St. Stephen). This family stood in Co. Laois.

Mac Steafáin, son of Stephen

Ó Steafáin, descendant of Stephen. This family stood in Co. Laois.

Stíbhin, son of Stephen

Where the name comes from

Mac Stiofáin is son of Stephen, and it has more spellings than almost anything in the book: MacSteen, Fitzstephen, Stephenson, Stevenson, Stenson, Steenson, Stinson, Stephens and Stevens are all the one name. Stíbhin is an old Anglo-Irish surname of the same word, and gives Steen and Steene.

Mac Giolla Steafáin, son of the servant of St. Stephen, is a rare surname in Leix, and Ó Steafáin is a rare Leix one too.

Black and white view across Doo Lough towards Ben Gorm and mountains, Co. Mayo, fine art landscape photograph by Peter Cox
Doo Lough, Co. Mayo

Mayo, photographed

Photographs made in Mayo.

Mayo

Achill is the largest island off the Irish coast and is joined to the mainland by a bridge. Clew Bay is full of drumlins that were drowned when the sea rose, which is where the story about an island for every day of the year comes from. Croagh Patrick stands over the south side of the bay. Mayo's population is still less than half what it was before the Famine.

Black and white view of Dun Briste sea stack from a sea cave, Co. Mayo, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxDún Briste from the Cave Co. Mayo Black and white lone tree standing in bogland with the Partry Mountains behind, County MayoLone Tree, Partry Mountains, Co. Mayo Co. Mayo Black and white long exposure of Dun Briste sea stack at Downpatrick Head, Co. Mayo, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxDún Briste, Downpatrick Head, Co. Mayo Co. Mayo Moonrise over Croagh Patrick at night with trees and coastal lights, Co. Mayo, Ireland, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxCroagh Patrick and Moon, Co. Mayo Co. Mayo Incoming tide flowing around rocks at Silver Strand beach at the base of Mweelrea Mountain, County MayoSilver Strand, Co. Mayo Co. Mayo Black and white infrared photograph of tree and stone wall with Lough Corrib beyond, Carrick, Co. Mayo, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxCarrick, Co. Mayo Co. Mayo Ben Creggan mountain reflected in lake, Doo Lough Valley, Co. Mayo, Ireland — fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxBen Creggan, Co. Mayo Co. Mayo Benwee Head and the Stags after sunset, coastal mountains, Co. Mayo, Ireland — fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxBenwee Head, Co. Mayo Co. Mayo Early morning light and mist over Lough Conn with Nephin mountain rising beyond forested shores, County MayoLough Conn and Nephin, Co. Mayo Co. Mayo Sun attempting to burn through thick fog over the lakes at Pontoon, County Mayo with trees emerging from mistPontoon, Co. Mayo Co. Mayo Doo Lough Valley with mountains and lake on a blustery day, Co. Mayo, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxDoo Lough Valley, Co. Mayo Co. Mayo

All Mayo prints

Notable bearers

Sloane Stephens (born 1993), tennis player.

Alexander H. Stephens (1812-1883), writer and politician.

Toby Stephens (born 1969), actor.

Helen Stephens (1918-1994), basketball player, sprinter, and baseball player.

John Lloyd Stephens (1805-1852), writer, lawyer, and diplomat.

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: Williams · Davis · Edwards · Cooper · Kelly · Cox · Brooks · Wood · James · Price · Butler · Jordan

How common the name was

In 1890, 36 births were registered under Stephens in Ireland, most of them in Mayo.

Leinster 12
Connacht 11
Ulster 8
Munster 5
Ireland 36