Question: Is the surname “Myers” actually Irish – or could it be that my Myers ancestors emigrated from England to Ireland at some point, since “Myers” is a common English name and not so common in Ireland?  

I did some research and this is what I found.

“Myers” is a surname most common in the Cork-Kerry, Monaghan-Louth, Belfast area.  In Gaelic, the surname would have been “Ó Meidhir” which means “mirth”.  It is now written “Ó Mír” and was originally of County Clare and related to “O’Meara”.  The English name “Myers” may be involved in the case of those found in the Ulster (northern Ireland) and eastern areas.

Working theory:  It seems probable that “Myers” is the anglicized version of the Gaelic name “Ó Meidhir”.  And since our family is from County Galway, which is in the west of Ireland, it’s likely that our Myers family has long roots in Ireland . . . and not England after all.

Next question: Since my Myers ancestors are from County Galway in western Ireland, just north of County Clare, I wonder if they were originally from County Clare and moved to County Galway at some point?  Some very preliminary research indicates they may not have been in County Galway in the early 1800s, although they were living there by the 1850s.  

Still more research to be done!

Reference for “Myers” surname: De Bhulbh, S. (1997) Sloinnte na hÉireann. Limerick: ComharChumann Íde Naofa.