Ryan (surname): Difference between revisions

Ryan (Irish: Ó Riain) is a surname and a given name.^[1] The name is of Irish origin.^[2]

There are several different origins for the surname. In some cases it may be a shortened form of O’Ryan, which is an Anglicized adaptation of the Gaelic surname Ó Riain, meaning “descendant of Rian“.^[1] It can also be a shortened form of Mulryan or O’Mulryan, which are derived from the Gaelic Ó Maoilriain, meaning “descendant of the follower of Rian“.^[1][2]

The meaning of the Old Irish name Rian is unknown.^[3] Some sources have suggested that it is related to the Old Irish word rían, meaning “water” or “ocean”.^[4][5] Others have suggested that it is related to the Old Irish word rí, meaning “king”.^[6][7] Both of these etymologies have been discounted by scholars, however.^[3] According to John Ryan, Professor of Early and Medieval History at University College Dublin, “What the Rian in the surnames Ó Riain and Ó Maolriain is has never been satisfactorily explained. Rian, like Niall, seems to be so ancient that its meaning was lost before records began.”^[3]

Popular modern sources typically suggest that Ryan means “little king” or “illustrious”.^{[2][8][9][10]}

There are also cases in which Ryan is an Americanized form of the German surname Rein.^[1]

• Abram Joseph Ryan (1838–1886), Catholic priest, poet
• Aileen B. Ryan (1912–1987), New York politician
• Allan Ryan, American attorney
• Allan A. Ryan, Jr. (1903–1981), New York financier and politician
• Amy Ryan (born 1969), American actress
• Andrew Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Anne Ryan (artist) (1889–1954), American artist
• Anne Ryan (actress) (born 1969), American actress
• Archie Ryan (cyclist) (born 2001), Irish professional racing cyclist
• B. J. Ryan (Robert Victor Ryan Jr., born 1975), baseball player
• Barry Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Beatrice Judd Ryan (c. 1880–1966), Australian-American art dealer, curator
• Ben Ryan, rugby union coach
• Bernard Ryan (1900–1921), member of the IRA hanged in Dublin in 1921
• Bernard Ryan, Jr. (1923–2020), American author
• Bianca Ryan (born 1994), American singer and America’s Got Talent winner
• Bill Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Billy Ryan (1887–1951), American football player
• Blanchard Ryan (born 1967), American actress
• Bo Ryan (William Francis Ryan Jr, born 1947), American basketball coach
• Bob Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Bobby Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Brendan Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Bruce Ryan (1921–2002), Australian rugby league footballer
• Buddy Ryan (1931–2016), American football coach
• Carly Ryan (1992–2007), Australian female murder victim
• Cathy Cahlin Ryan, American actress
• Cheyney Ryan (born 1948), American philosopher
• Chris Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Christopher Ryan (born 1950), British actor
• C. J. Ryan (1943–2004), British priest and scholar of Italian studies
• Claude Ryan (1925–2004), Canadian politician
• Cormac Ryan (born 1998), American basketball player
• Cornelius Ryan (1920–1974), Irish journalist and author
• C. W. Ryan (1869–1944), American politician
• Debby Ryan (born 1993), American actress
• Derek Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Donald P. Ryan (born 1957), American archaeologist and writer
• Donald P. Ryan (Wisconsin politician) (1909–1995), Wisconsin state legislator
• Donnell Ryan, Federal Court of Australia judge

• Edward Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Eileen Ryan (1927–2022), American actress
• Felix Ryan (1897–1963), Australian rugby league footballer
• Francis T. Ryan (1862–1927), American Medal of Honor recipient
• Frank Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Fred Ryan (born 1955), CEO of Politico.com, former aide to Ronald Reagan
• Frederick Ryan (1876–1913), Irish playwright and socialist
• George Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Gerry Ryan (1956–2010), Irish radio presenter
• Greg Ryan (born 1957), German-American soccer defender
• Gig Ryan (born 1956), Australian poet
• Harold M. Ryan (1911–2007), U.S. Representative from Michigan
• Ibolya Ryan, Hungarian-American murdered by an Arab in Abu Dhabi
• Ida Annah Ryan (1873–1950), American architect
• Ida Mary Barry Ryan (1854–1917), American philanthropist
• Irene Ryan (1902–1973), actress
• Jack Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jane Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jeff Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jenny Ryan (born 1982), English quizzer
• Jeri Ryan (born 1968), U.S. actress
• Jim Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jimmy Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Joan Ryan (politician) (born 1955), UK politician
• Joe Ryan (baseball) (born 1996), American baseball player
• John Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jon Ryan (born 1981), Canadian gridiron football player
• Joseph Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Josephine Ryan (1884–1977), Irish nationalist
• Julie Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Kate Ryan (born 1980), Belgian singer and songwriter
• Katherine Ryan (born 1983), Canadian/Irish comedian, writer, presenter and actress
• Kathleen Ryan (1922–1985), Irish actress
• Kathryn Ryan, New Zealand radio journalist
• Kelleigh Ryan (born 1987), Canadian fencer
• Kevin Ryan (born 1949), New Zealand long-distance runner
• Kyle Ryan (born 1991), American baseball player
• Lacy Ryan, English actor
• Lance Ryan (born 1971), Canadian operatic tenor
• Leo Ryan (1925–1978), Congressman from San Francisco, killed at Jonestown
• Lee Ryan (born 1983), English singer-songwriter and actor
• Liam Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Liza Ryan (born 1965), American visual artist
• Lola Ryan (1925–2003), Australian artist
• Lucille Frances Ryan, better known as Lucy Lawless (born 1968), actress from New Zealand

• Michael Robert Ryan, a murderer from the UK
• Marion Ryan (1931–1999), British singer
• Mark Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Matthew Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Meg Ryan (born 1961), U.S. actress
• Michael Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Michelle Ryan (born 1984), British actress
• Michelle Ryan, Australian choreographer, artistic director of Restless Dance Company
• Michelle K. Ryan (born 1973), Australian psychologist and academic
• Miles Ryan (1826–1887), Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Mitchell Ryan (1934–2022), American actor
• Murray Ryan (American politician) (1922–2017), American politician
• Myles and Connor Ryan (born 1995), British singers
• Natalie Ryan, American disc golfer
• Nicky Ryan (1946–2025), Irish music producer, recording engineer, and manager
• Nolan Ryan (born 1947), baseball player
• Patricia Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Patrick Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Paul Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Peggy Ryan (1924–2004), American dancer
• Perry T. Ryan (born 1962), American author
• Peter Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Phil Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Phyllis Ryan (1895–1983), Irish chemist and nationalist
• Phyllis Ryan (actress) (1920–2011), Irish actress
• Prestin Ryan (born 1980), Canadian ice hockey player
• Ray Ryan (hurler) (1981–2025), Irish hurler
• Ray Ryan (businessman) (1904–1977), American gambler, oilman, promoter, and developer
• Ray Ryan (baseball) (died 1958), minor league baseball player, manager, team owner and league president
• Rex Ryan (born 1962), American football coach; twin brother of Rob
• Richard Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Richie Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Rob Ryan (born 1962), American football coach; twin brother of Rex
• Robbi Ryan (born 1997), American basketball player
• Robert Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Ronald Ryan (1925–1967), (Last person to be legally executed in Australia.)
• Ross Ryan (born 1950), Australian singer-songwriter
• Roz Ryan (born 1951), American actress
• Ryder Ryan (born 1995), American baseball player

• Séamus Ryan (1895–1933), Irish senator
• Shannon Ryan (born 1996), English professional boxer
• Shawn Ryan (born 1966), American screenwriter and producer
• Sheila Ryan, (1921–1975), American actress
• Sod Ryan (1905–1964), American football player
• T. Claude Ryan (1898–1982), American aviator and aeronautic engineer
• T. J. Ryan (Thomas Joseph Ryan, 1876–1921), Australian politician, premier of Queensland
• T. J. Ryan (hurler) (born 1974), Irish hurler
• Tomás Ryan (born 1944), Irish hurler
• Thomas Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Tim Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Tina Rivers Ryan, American curator, art historian
• Tommy Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Tony Ryan (1936–2007), Irish businessman
• Tony Ryan (scientist) (born 1962), British polymer chemist
• Una Ryan (born 1941), Malaysian born biologist
• Walter D’Arcy Ryan (1870–1934), lighting engineer
• Warren Ryan (born 1941), Australian rugby league football coach
• Will Ryan (1949–2021), American voice actor, singer, and comedian
• Willard Ryan (1890–1962), American football coach
• William Ryan (disambiguation), multiple people
• Yasmine Ryan (c. 1983 – 2017) New Zealand journalist

• Aran Ryan, an opponent in Super NES video game Super Punch-Out!!
• Allison Ryan, a character played by Nicole Eggert in the 2008 movie Loaded
• Andrew Ryan, the founder of Rapture and a major character in the 2007 video game BioShock
• April Ryan, appearing in the computer adventure games The Longest Journey and Dreamfall
• Archie Ryan, the pseudonym of Lincoln Burrows, a fictional character from the television show Prison Break
• Barbara Ryan, character in the soap opera As the World Turns
• Beth Ryan, a character in the 1987 movie Throw Momma from the Train
• Bill, Emily, Lulu, and Sandy Ryan, characters from American television sitcom United We Fall
• Burke Ryan, a character in the 2009 American romantic drama movie Love Happens
• Caitlin Ryan, a character in the Degrassi franchise
• Frank Ryan, a character in the 1934 film The Man Who Changed His Name
• Jack Ryan, a separate character and the primary protagonist of the 2007 video game BioShock
• Jack Ryan, in Tom Clancy books and film adaptations
• Jake Ryan, character in Sixteen Candles/Hannah Montana, TV character portrayed by Cody Linley
• James Francis Ryan, character in the 1998 American war film Saving Private Ryan
• Kevin Ryan, secondary character of the TV thriller show Castle
• Mary Ryan, also known aka Blue Mary, a character in the Fatal Fury series and The King of Fighters
• Mr. Ryan, a character in the 1989 American science fiction comedy movie Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
• Nory Ryan, main character in book Nory Ryan’s Song by Patricia Reilly Giff
• Paul Ryan, a character on American daytime serial As the World Turns
• Rachel, Robbie, and Tom Ryan, characters in the 2006 American parody Scary Movie 4
• Richie Ryan, fictional character in Highlander: The Series
• Robert Charles “Rusty” Ryan in Ocean’s 11, 12, and 13
• Professor Sam Ryan, character in the television series Silent Witness
• Tommy Ryan, a character in the 1997 film Titanic

• Laffan, Thomas (1911). Tipperary Families : Being The Hearth Money Records for 1665–1667. James Duffy & Co.