O'Meara
An Irish surname from the Gaelic name Ó Meadhra, meaning a descendant of Meadhra.
The #6,983 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 64,309 Americans shares it.
Etymology
O'Meara is an anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Meadhra. The prefix Ó means “descendant of,” while Meadhra is a personal name usually understood as coming from a word meaning “merry,” “cheerful,” or “pleasant.” In effect, the surname originally identified a family as descendants of a man called Meadhra.
History
The name is especially associated with Ireland, notably the historic O'Meara family of County Tipperary. As with many Irish surnames, the prefix Ó was often dropped in English-language records, which helps explain forms such as Meara and O'Meara side by side. The surname is now found in Ireland and in Irish diaspora communities, especially in English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname is one of several Irish names built with Ó, a marker of descent that became much less consistently used in official records under English influence.