Brophy
An Irish surname, most likely from Gaelic Ó Bróghaigh, meaning a descendant of a person with an uncertain byname.
The #5,313 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 47,086 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Brophy is generally treated as an Irish surname from Gaelic Ó Bróghaigh, meaning "descendant of Bróghach" or a similar personal name. The old personal name is not completely secure in meaning, but it is often connected with a byname suggesting strength, pride, or spiritedness. Because the final element is not firmly explained in the older sources, the exact literal sense should be taken cautiously.
History
The name is traditionally associated with Ireland, especially with Irish families that retained the Gaelic form into modern times. In historical surname lists, Brophy appears alongside other anglicized Irish names and was recorded in county-based Irish surname studies by the early 20th century. The spelling Brophy became the standard English form, though earlier sources also note Brofie as a variant.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older Irish surname scholarship, Brophy is often grouped with names that preserved their Gaelic identity unusually well into the modern period.
From the historical record
“C bpoif neACAin, Bresnihan, &c. 0 btioic, 6 t)ti6ice, Brophy, Brofie ; Bray. (3 b^iolACAiri, 6 "b^olcAin, O'Brollaghan, O'Brallaghan,”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames