Where does the surname Griffin originate from in Ireland?
Griffin is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Ó Griobhtha, which is derived from the word "griobh", meaning "griffin" or "vulture". The surname is first recorded in Ireland in the 10th century, and it is believed to have originated in County Limerick. The Griffins were a powerful family in medieval Ireland, and they were closely associated with the O'Briens of Thomond. In the 16th century, the Griffins were dispossessed of their lands by the English, and many of them fled to County Clare. The surname Griffin is still common in Ireland today, and it is also found in other parts of the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.