Mara, almost always seen as O’Mara, is a Gaelic name of the southern midlands of Ireland.
Where does the Mara name come from?
Mara is an anglicised form of the Gaelic Ó Meadhra, “descendant of Meadhair,” a personal name connected with the idea of mirth or good cheer. It is nearly always written today with the O prefix as O’Mara, and is also seen as O’Meara.
O’Mara in Ireland
The name belongs especially to County Tipperary, where the O’Maras were long established around Toomevara — a place-name that itself preserves the family name. As an old Gaelic name of the southern midlands, Mara is found today across Ireland and among the diaspora in the United States, Canada, Australia and Britain.
Related Irish family names
You may also like Meade, Marshall, and Barry.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mara an Irish surname?
Yes — Mara, more often O’Mara or O’Meara, is a Gaelic Irish surname, from Ó Meadhra, associated especially with County Tipperary.
What does O’Mara mean?
It means “descendant of Meadhair,” a personal name connected with mirth or good cheer.
Is there an O’Mara family crest?
Some documented lines have heraldic traditions, but arms belonged to particular bearers and inherited lines rather than to everyone sharing the surname. A modern crest-style design is a heritage emblem, not proof of heraldic entitlement.
Browse keepsakes for the established variants in the O’Mara, O’Meara and Meara Irish Heritage Gifts collection.