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Ryan (surname)
Surname list From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ryan (Irish: Ó Riain) is a surname and a given name.[1] The name is of Irish origin.[2]
Origins and meaning
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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]
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List of persons with the surname Ryan
A–D
- 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
E–L
- 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
M–R
- 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 c.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
- 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
S–Z
- Séamus Ryan (1895–1933), Irish senator
- Sheila Ryan, (1921–1975), American actress
- Shawn Ryan (born 1966), American screenwriter and producer
- 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
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Fictional characters
- 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
See also
- Rayan (Persian given name)
- Rhyan, given name and surname
References
Bibliography
External links
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