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Lynch has two possible derivatives. The first may be Norman from de Lench, which is a placename now forgotten. They settled initially in Co. Meath and a branch established themselves in Galway. It was a James Lynch, mayor in 1493, who is reputed to have hanged his own son for murder when no one else would carry out the sentence.

The second origin is from the Irish names, Ó Loingsigh, from loigseach, which means 'seaman'. This arose quite separtely in a number of areas including Clare/Limerick, Sligo, west Cork, Cavan, Donegal and the north Antrim/Derry region where they were chiefs of the old kingdom of Dál Riada in medieval times. It's likely that the Gaelic origin is responsible for the wide frequency of the surname today.