Driskell
An Irish surname that may be a variant spelling of an older Gaelic family name, though its exact origin is not firmly settled.
The #7,915 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 73,863 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Driskell is usually treated as an anglicized surname of Irish background, but the exact Gaelic source is not certain. The name may be related to a Gaelic family name that was reshaped in English spelling, as happened with many Irish surnames in the 19th century. Because the early sources available here only list the name without explaining it, the literal meaning cannot be stated with confidence.
History
The surname is found in Irish-American naming records and appears in 19th- and early-20th-century surname compilations, but those references do not give a secure derivation. In modern usage it is uncommon and concentrated in the United States, especially among families of Irish descent. The spelling may reflect local pronunciation or an older variant form that was standardized only late.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In historical surname lists, Driskell often appears near names with similar Irish spellings, which is a clue that it may preserve an older local form rather than a widely standardized one.
From the historical record
“Fagin. Driskell. 107. 528 DUNLEVY.”
— Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland