Sullivan is used as a family name or surname in Ireland. It is 8 characters long in length.

Family Name / Last Name: Sullivan
No. of characters: 8
Origin: Ireland
Meaning:

The Sullivan is form of O'Sullivan. Grandson of Suileabhan meaning "black-eyed".

Grandson of Suileabhan meaning "black-eyed".

BY THE HAND OF SULLIVAN, is an Irish oath, which is considered of the most obligatory character. According to an ancient rhyme, there is—
"Nulla manus
Tam liberalis
Atque generalis
Atque universalis
Quam Sullivanus."Croker's Fairy Legends

Often prefixed by O' Sullivan is an ancient baptismal name. "To the house of the chief who became the stock whence the present family of O'Sullivan descend, came a one-eyed Druid, who was also a bard, from Albany. He was named Levawn. Eochy, the chieftain, received him cordially as was his wont. Strange to say, he, like his guest, had but one eye. When the Druid departed from the castle, he declined all the noble gifts his host pressed upon him, but demanded from his entertainer the present of his only eye. Eochy, impelled by a generosity that had never said Nay to a request, at once tore it from its socket, and bestowed it upon his unnatural guest. There chanced, however, to be a holyman living with the outraged Eochy; who, in dignant at such ingratitude, prayed fervently that the Druid's eye might depart from its place, and, together withhis own, become the property of Eochy. His appeal to Heaven was heard—the Chief became miraculously possessed of two eyes, and the Druid departed for ever blind. Hence this peerless host and his posterity have carried this unparalleled instance of magnanimity to all time in their name, SuilLerawn—Levawn's eye!".

How popular is Sullivan?

Sullivan is common in United States, England, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Wales, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, Thailand, Philippines, Jamaica, Northern Ireland, Argentina, France, Malta, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Guyana, Tonga, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Mauritius, Bahamas, Netherlands, Singapore, Chile, Bahrain.

Sullivan is ranked 1439 on our list.

Despite the fact that the number of Sullivan bearers increased by 2.48 per cent in 2010 US census to 220990 since 2000, the surname slipped by 13 spots and ranked at 105. The last name was found in around 7 per ten thousand population. Please refer to following table for race and ethnicity.

Race 2010 2000
White 87.73 89.45
Black 7.13 6.78
Hispanic or Latino 2.39 1.63
Others 1.59 1.16
Asian and Native Hawaiian
& Other Pacific Islander		 0.6 0.46
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.57 0.52
Sullivan is quite popular family name mostly used in United States however Tonga is ahead in terms of density. Around 373527 people have been found who wears Sullivan as their family name. Sullivan is used widely across the globe. More detailed information can be found below:
RankCountryCount
Countries with hundred thousands of Sullivan:
86 United States290,835
Countries with ten thousands of Sullivan:
271 England25,074
134 Australia20,412
266 Canada15,691
Countries with thousands of Sullivan:
149 Ireland5,661
100 Wales2,796
238 New Zealand2,476
795 Scotland1,167
5,989 South Africa1,152
Countries with hundreds of Sullivan:
12,466 Thailand789
23,801 Philippines717
566 Jamaica705
798 Northern Ireland458
7,992 Argentina451
28,799 France359
137 Malta349
14,320 Saudi Arabia318
31,180 Germany263
569 Guyana245
116 Tonga245
14,716 Spain212
1,058 Trinidad and Tobago194
2,803 Dominican Republic185
40,413 Brazil184
1,789 Mauritius152
400 Bahamas123
21,355 Netherlands121
1,743 Singapore120
5,518 Chile106
2,472 Bahrain103
Countries with low frequency i.e., 50 - 100:
22,938 Japan97
9,525 Switzerland97
109,009 Russia88
2,491 Panama76
17,205 Mexico74
1,135 Puerto Rico71
9,791 Sweden71
68,465 Italy64
240 Isle of Man61
7,697 Portugal57
288 Jersey54
30,394 Zimbabwe51
Countries with very low frequency i.e., 10 - 50:
419 Seychelles47
165,726 Indonesia45
1,658 China44
429 United States Virgin Islands44
19,703 Israel42
286,670 India40
10,240 Ecuador37
37,745 Malaysia36
37,845 Belgium34
3,015 Hong Kong33
14,967 Kuwait29
11,522 Liberia27
23,411 Norway25
546 American Samoa22
20,394 Denmark21
43,235 Austria20
451 Cayman Islands19
5,642 Suriname19
956 Barbados18
13,978 Afghanistan17
1,526 Guam16
1,045 Aruba14
67,321 Czechia14
893 Antigua and Barbuda12
820 Bermuda12
65,346 Belarus11
91 Montserrat11
259,204 Nigeria11
Countries with very very low frequency i.e., 6 - 10:
132,137 Poland10
903 South Korea10
179 East Timor9
45,516 Kenya9
54,497 Morocco9
4,667 Costa Rica8
26,217 Estonia8
652 Northern Mariana Islands8
101,897 Papua New Guinea8
616 Saint Kitts and Nevis8
379 Turks and Caicos Islands8
453 British Virgin Islands7
51,006 United Arab Emirates7
2,948 Vietnam7
89,049 Greece6
6,198 Luxembourg6
4,885 Nicaragua6
36,458 Peru6
55,922 Qatar6
Show Full Last Name Distribution

Immigrants to US

From Ireland

Immigrant David Sullivan from Ireland aboard the Ottowa from Liverpool during the Irish famine. He is registered to be 21 years old when he arrived in USA on May 12, 1846. 22 years old Timothy Sullivan, 40 years old Daniel Sullivan, Maid Honora Sullivan, Ellen Sullivan (30) Spinster, Johanna Sullivan, aged 18, Ann Sullivan, aged 23, Michael Sullivan (24) Workman, John Sullivan (20) Workman, and 4185 other Sullivan around 57.15% of whom were workman while others worked as servant and spinster, blacksmith, farm laborer, mechanic, weaver, farmer, tailoress, shoemaker, barrel maker/ cooper, farmers, laborers &, mechanics, mason, merchant, plasterer, butcher, chain maker, clerk, servant, bonnet blocker, seamstress, carpenter, dressmaker, sailor, gardner/grower, miner, laundry man/ ironer, bonnet maker/ hatter, lawyer, paver, house keeper, baker, collier, currier, milliner, builder, policeman migrated to US.

From Germany

Laborer John Sullivan from Germany aboard the George Grun from Liverpool. She is registered to be 45 years old when she arrived in USA on September 29, 1851. Ann Sullivan (23) Spinster, O. Sullivan (46) Minister, Tailor D. Sullivan, 26 years old Jas. Sullivan, Joh. Sullivan, Margt. Sullivan, Of unknown age Pat Sullivan, Daniel Sullivan (2), and 14 other Sullivan around 57.14% of whom were laborer while others worked as tailor and farmer migrated to US from London, Bremen, Liverpool, Liverpool & Queenstown and Glasgow.

Sullivan Namesakes

  • Arthur Sullivan, English composer
  • James Edward Sullivan, American sports official of Irish descent
  • William Laurence Sullivan, American Unitarian clergyman, prolific author and literary critic
  • Harry Stack Sullivan, Having studied therapists Sigmund Freud
  • Charles L. Sullivan, American politician, attorney and military pilot
  • Scott D. Sullivan, American Certified Public Accountant and the former chief financial officer, secretary
  • George Alexander Sullivan, founder of the Rosicrucian Order Crotona Fellowship
  • William C. Sullivan, was former head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation intelligence operations
  • Margaret Sullivan, serves as the U.S. Agency for International Development's Chief Operating Officer as well as Chief of Staff
  • Jesse Sullivan, American electrician best
  • Thomas M. Sullivan, business news anchor for the Fox Business Network
  • John Jeremiah Sullivan, American writer, musician, teacher, and editor
  • John B. Sullivan, member of the United States House of Representatives
  • Emmet Sullivan, American sculptor
  • Dean Sullivan, English actor
  • Richard T. Sullivan, novelist, short-story writer
  • Gordon J. Sullivan, Liberal MP for the riding of Hamilton Mountain
  • Alexander Martin Sullivan, Irish Nationalist politician
  • J. W. N. Sullivan, S. S. Koteliansky
  • Yankee Sullivan, bare-knuckle fighter and boxer
  • Tricia Sullivan, science fiction writer
  • Aloysius Michael Sullivan, United States poet, magazine editor
  • Lencola Sullivan, American news anchor
  • Alan Sullivan, Canadian poet and author of short stories
  • E. J. Sullivan, British book illustrator
  • Fred Sullivan, English actor and singer
  • Daniel "Horse-Whisperer" Sullivan, from Mallow, Co
  • Chris T. Sullivan, is one of the founders of Outback Steakhouse and OSI Restaurant Partners
  • Algernon Sydney Sullivan, New York lawyer
  • Rip Sullivan, Richard Cyril "Rip" Sullivan, Jr
  • Anthony Sullivan, English-born former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer of the 1980s
  • Stuart Sullivan, American record producer and recording engineer
  • Beth Sullivan, American film and television writer and producer
  • William J. Sullivan, Judge Trial Referee of the Connecticut Superior Court
  • Herbert Sullivan, nephew
  • Kathryn D. Sullivan, American geologist and a former NASA astronaut
  • Walter Francis Sullivan, American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church
  • Francis A. Sullivan, American Catholic theologian and a Jesuit priest
  • Dennis Sullivan, American mathematician
  • Ed Sullivan, American television personality
  • Louis Sullivan, The spelling of Sullivan's middle name has caused confusion
  • Andrew Sullivan, British-born American author, editor, and blogger
  • Anne Sullivan, American teacher
  • Louis Wade Sullivan, active health policy leader, minority health advocate
  • William Wilfred Sullivan, Prince Edward Island journalist
  • Gordon R. Sullivan, retired United States Army general
  • John L. Sullivan, Irish-American boxer recognized as the first heavyweight champion of gloved boxing
  • Erik Per Sullivan, former American actor
  • Susan Sullivan, American actress
  • Roy Sullivan, United States park ranger in Shenandoah National Park
  • William H. Sullivan, American Foreign Service career officer
  • Danny Sullivan, American former racing driver
  • Francis Conroy Sullivan, Canadian architect
  • Steve Sullivan, Canadian former professional ice hockey player

Sullivan Namesakes

  • Arthur Sullivan, English composer
  • James Edward Sullivan, American sports official of Irish descent
  • William Laurence Sullivan, American Unitarian clergyman, prolific author and literary critic
  • Harry Stack Sullivan, Having studied therapists Sigmund Freud
  • Charles L. Sullivan, American politician, attorney and military pilot
  • Scott D. Sullivan, American Certified Public Accountant and the former chief financial officer, secretary
  • George Alexander Sullivan, founder of the Rosicrucian Order Crotona Fellowship
  • William C. Sullivan, was former head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation intelligence operations
  • Margaret Sullivan, serves as the U.S. Agency for International Development's Chief Operating Officer as well as Chief of Staff
  • Jesse Sullivan, American electrician best
  • Thomas M. Sullivan, business news anchor for the Fox Business Network
  • John Jeremiah Sullivan, American writer, musician, teacher, and editor
  • John B. Sullivan, member of the United States House of Representatives
  • Emmet Sullivan, American sculptor
  • Dean Sullivan, English actor
  • Richard T. Sullivan, novelist, short-story writer
  • Gordon J. Sullivan, Liberal MP for the riding of Hamilton Mountain
  • Alexander Martin Sullivan, Irish Nationalist politician
  • J. W. N. Sullivan, S. S. Koteliansky
  • Yankee Sullivan, bare-knuckle fighter and boxer
  • Tricia Sullivan, science fiction writer
  • Aloysius Michael Sullivan, United States poet, magazine editor
  • Lencola Sullivan, American news anchor
  • Alan Sullivan, Canadian poet and author of short stories
  • E. J. Sullivan, British book illustrator
  • Fred Sullivan, English actor and singer
  • Daniel "Horse-Whisperer" Sullivan, from Mallow, Co
  • Chris T. Sullivan, is one of the founders of Outback Steakhouse and OSI Restaurant Partners
  • Algernon Sydney Sullivan, New York lawyer
  • Rip Sullivan, Richard Cyril "Rip" Sullivan, Jr
  • Anthony Sullivan, English-born former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer of the 1980s
  • Stuart Sullivan, American record producer and recording engineer
  • Beth Sullivan, American film and television writer and producer
  • William J. Sullivan, Judge Trial Referee of the Connecticut Superior Court
  • Herbert Sullivan, nephew
  • Kathryn D. Sullivan, American geologist and a former NASA astronaut
  • Walter Francis Sullivan, American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church
  • Francis A. Sullivan, American Catholic theologian and a Jesuit priest
  • Dennis Sullivan, American mathematician
  • Ed Sullivan, American television personality
  • Louis Sullivan, The spelling of Sullivan's middle name has caused confusion
  • Andrew Sullivan, British-born American author, editor, and blogger
  • Anne Sullivan, American teacher
  • Louis Wade Sullivan, active health policy leader, minority health advocate
  • William Wilfred Sullivan, Prince Edward Island journalist
  • Gordon R. Sullivan, retired United States Army general
  • John L. Sullivan, Irish-American boxer recognized as the first heavyweight champion of gloved boxing
  • Erik Per Sullivan, former American actor
  • Susan Sullivan, American actress
  • Roy Sullivan, United States park ranger in Shenandoah National Park
  • William H. Sullivan, American Foreign Service career officer
  • Danny Sullivan, American former racing driver
  • Francis Conroy Sullivan, Canadian architect
  • Steve Sullivan, Canadian former professional ice hockey player

Related Family Names: