This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Ireland,' an immigrant from the Emerald Isle; compare Holland, Scott, Inglis, Welsh, Dutchman, &c.

Simon de Irlande, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Geoffrey Irlond, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Thomas de Ireland, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Johannes de Yrland, 1379: ibid.

Margereta Ireland, 1379: ibid.

Walterus Ireland, 1379: ibid.

1598. Married — George Ireland and Sarah Baker: St. Dionis Backchurch (London).

1669. Baptised — Thomas, s. Andrew Ireland: St. James, Clerkenwell.

A family of this name is in record in Scotland in the last quarter of the thirteenth century. John Yberniens de Frertun was a witness in 1288 (RPSA., p. 346), and Patrick of Ireland, accused of housebreaking at Forfar, was hanged in 1296 (Bain, II, p. 190). David de Ireland was one of the Scots prisoners taken at Dunbar Castle in 1296; cattle belonging to Walter de Ibemia were driven off from a moor near Aberdeen in the same year; Robert de Irland of Stirlingshire rendered homage, 1296; and John de Irland (Hibernia) agreed to serve the king of England in France and elsewhere outwith England (ibid., II, p. 176,192, 205,243). Duncan, earl of Fife in 1336 granted a charter of the barony of Murthly, Perthshire, to John de Yrelande as held by his ancestors. The family, often called "de Hibernia," held Murthly till about 1440 (Stodart, II, p. 394). John de Irlande who held a land in Perth, 1424 (RMS., II; 18) may be the John Irland (without 'de') who was burgess there in 1437 (SCM., V, p. 261). Andrew Irland was a witness in Perth, 1478 (RAA., II, 202), and Walter Irland bailie there, 1488 (Methven, p. 31). Andrew Erland or de Ireland was a Scots merchant, 1450—51 (Bain, IV, 1230, 1240), Schyr Andro Irlande was vicar of Torreff (Turriff), 1489 (SCM., II, p. 259), William Yrlande, notary in Arnbroath, 1502 (RAA., II, 438), Johannes Irland, vicar of Perth, 1524 (Scon, p. 205), Cuthbert Irland a follower of Campbell of Lundy, 1529 (RSS., II, 59), and Henry Airland in Strathendrie, 1602, is doubtless Henry Irland in Strahenrie, 1614 (For dell, p. 160,162). (2) in Roxburgh a family named Ireland held lands called Ireland's land in the barony of Wilton. In 1454 John of Irelandys of that Ilk, "in his urgent and known necessity" sold the lands to David Scott. Mathew Ireland was appointed doomster in Berwick and Roxburgh in 1524 (Home, 34). (3) The Irlands of Orkney are of local origin from Ireland (ON. eyrr-land, a gravelly beach), the largest township in the West Mainland. Thomas Arland appears in an agreement drawn up at Kirkwall in 1369 (Diplomataritim Norvegicum, I, p. 308). Master John Irland was chaplain in Wick, Caithness, 1530 (OPS., II, p. 752). A pedigree of the family of Ireland of Ireland is given in REO (p. 452—453). By the middle of the seventeenth century the family seems to have disposed of all their land, and the name is now believed to be extinct in the islands. For Ireland as a place name in Scotland see Watson I, p. 232—233.

This surname is numerous in Cos. Armagh and Antrim. It is said to have originated in the case of early emigrants from Ireland who thus acquired the Norman name of de Yrlande, some of their descendants returning eventually to this country. In its modern form it occurs in the 1664 hearth money rolls for Co. Armagh, and Samuel Ireland was one of the Poll-tax Commissioners for Co. Louth in 1660.

In mediaeval records we meet more frequently the cognate name le Ireis: its modern form, Irish, was formerly well known in Co. Kilkenny: eight families of the name are in Griffith's Valuation of that county in 1851, in which three Irelands also appear. Ireland is now rare there but fairly numerous in Ulster.

(? Celtic + Teutonic) One from Ireland [O.E, Ir(a)land - Old Irish Eriu (genit. Erenn, dat. Erinn), later Eire + Old English land: the Latin forms were Hibernia, Hiberio, Iberio, Greek Ivernia: the Welsh form is Iwerddon. The name is obscure, and may be pre-Celtic] Robertus de Hibernia.—Pipe-Roll, A.D. 1259-60.

Simon de Irlande,—Hund. Rolls, A.D. 1274.

Adam de Irelaund.—Lanc. Assize-Rolls, A.D. 1285.

Said to have originated through early emigrants from Ireland called de Irlande, whose descendants returned as strangers. Fairly numerous in Cos. Armagh and Antrim. SIF 93

(English) One who came to England from Ireland.

A native of that country-an Irishman.

A native of Ireland. The family are descendded from Sir John de Ireland of Lancashire, temp. William the Conqueror.

A name given to a native of that island. Ireland signifies West—land, from the Gaelic Iar, the West, and the Teutonic land, Welsh, Llan, a clear place, a lawn.

Ralph de Hibernia, Normandy, 1180 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae); Richard Hiberniensis, brother of Thomas Fitz-Adam; occur t. John (Hardy, Rot. de Libert. 232). Adam de Hibernia was witness to a charter of Whalley Abbey, Lancaster, 1316 (Mon. i. 305), and 1324 was summoned to a great Council at Westminster (Palgr. Parl. Writs).

From the Flemish, Irlen (?); a personal name.