Fitzpatrick
An Irish surname meaning “son of Patrick,” later used as an anglicized form of several Gaelic family names.
The #852 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 7,633 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Fitz- is the Anglo-Norman prefix meaning “son of,” from Old French filz/fiz, ultimately from Latin filius. Patrick is the personal name of the Christian saint, from Latin Patricius, meaning “noble” or “patrician.” So Fitzpatrick originally meant “son of Patrick,” though in Ireland it also became the English form of more than one Gaelic surname.
History
The name was brought into Britain by the Anglo-Normans, where Fitz- surnames became common among families of noble or semi-noble descent. In Ireland, Fitzpatrick is especially associated with the Gaelic clan Mac Giolla Phádraig, and the English form sometimes replaced or stood beside other Irish equivalents in different districts. It has long been a well-established Irish surname and is now common in Ireland and among Irish diaspora communities.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some Irish Fitzpatrick families later used shortened forms like just “Fitz” in records, which can make old registers surprisingly hard to follow.
From the historical record
“p.n. See Fiddy Fitzpatrick. See Gilpatric Fivash. See Vivish Fix. D., Fr.; p.n. Flack. See Flagg Flagg. G. Flach, Flack; Dch.”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (1st ed.)