Arthur is a name of real standing in Irish history, carried by one of the oldest families of Limerick and reaching, in another branch, all the way to the White House.
Where does the Arthur surname come from?
Arthur comes from the ancient personal name Arthur, famous from British legend and long associated with strength. In Ireland the name took firm root in Limerick, where the Arthur family is recorded as one of the city’s leading families from as early as the twelfth century — a presence so deep that several Limerick streets and quays still carry the name. A separate northern line, distinct from the Limerick family, is found in Ulster.
The Arthurs of Limerick — and a President
In Limerick the Arthurs were prominent merchants and civic figures, and the family is still remembered in places such as Arthur’s Quay in the heart of the city. The Ulster strand of the name carries its own remarkable story: William Arthur, born near Ballymena in County Antrim, emigrated to America in the early nineteenth century, and his son Chester A. Arthur became the twenty-first President of the United States.
Related Irish family names
If your roots run through Munster or Ulster, you may also recognize Barry and Acheson.