O'Farrell Name Meaning, Origin and Heraldry

Families named O'Farrell share their surname's story with Farrell, of which it is a variant. At root, the name means “Descendant of Fearghal, "man of valour”.

• Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists.
• O'Farrell simply joins the particle O' to Farrell, a pattern common in Irish naming.
• Related forms: Ferrall and Farrelly.

Family crest and blazon

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Farrell surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon. Want more than a summary? See the O'Farrell family name pack.