Surname Donehoo - Meaning and Origin

Donehoo: What does the surname Donehoo mean?

The last name Donehoo is a variant of the Irish surname Donohoe, which is derived from the Irish Ó Donnchadha or Ó Donnchú. The Irish name translates to "descendant of Donnchadh," with "Donnchadh" being a personal name that means "brown warrior." The name has many different anglicized forms, including Donohue, Dunphy and Donehoo, among others. Therefore, people with the surname Donehoo have ancestral ties to the Donehoo family, which originates from Ireland. The Donehoos were part of a larger Gaelic political, social and administrative system, with their own lands, laws, and language. Over time, many people with the surname Donehoo have migrated to various parts of the world, including the United Kingdom and America.

Donehoo: Where does the name Donehoo come from?

The name Donehoo is a somewhat uncommon name today; however, it is most commonly found in the United States. According to the Cognomica website, the name Donehoo is believed to be of British Isles or Scottish origin. The website also states that the name Donehoo is a cognate for Duncan. Specifically, record keeping shows that Donehoo families were found in and around North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina in the 19th century.

Today, there have been sightings of the name Donehoo across the United States. Within the last few decades, people with the name Donehoo have been identified in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Online records show that there are still many Donehoos living in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, and the Carolinas. There are also some Donehoo families in Scotland, England, and Ireland.

The name Donehoo is used by families to honor a long historic legacy. Many Donehoos today are directly related to their early American ancestors. As the family tree traces back to Britain, many current Donehoos are believed to be from the Donehoo Clan—which dates back to the 1500s—in Scotland.

Ultimately, the name Donehoo is still present today across the United States and its various families. While it remains quite uncommon, many current family members keep the name’s symbolic past alive with each generational trace back.

Variations of the surname Donehoo

The surname Donehoo is thought to have originated in Ireland before it eventually spread to Scotland. This surname may also be written or spelled in multiple ways, such as Donaho, Donahue, Donahoe, Donahow, Dunahoe, and Donohue.

The Donehoo surname can also be wide spread to other countries other than Ireland and Scotland. Examples include Donehow in England, Dunahoo in the USA and Danahoe in the Netherlands.

One of the earlier recorded references of Donehoo in County Fermanagh, Ireland is to Donahue O’Gallagher, a chief of the Clangalague, who lived in 1342. It is thought that the Donehoo surname originated from the name “O’Donehue”which in English translates to O’Donohoe, maybe derived from a forename Dona, meaning "formidable, daring, or brave."

The Donahoe variant of this surname is often anglicised from the proper Irish name which is "Ó Donnchadha," meaning "descendant of Donnchadh." Donnchadh, or Donnell, was a very popular first name in Irish history and it was often used interchangeably with the surname O'Donnchadha or Donnchoe in both Scotland and Ireland.

The Donehoo surname can also be a variant of Mohan, which is derived from the Irish Gaelic surname, O’Maoinsthir, meaning "descendant of Maonstir." This was commonly used to refer to a "reverend" or "lord" commonly in Scotland.

The Donehoo surname has also been taken up in recent years and may even have come about through marriage. An example of this is the marriage of Kernaghan Donehoo in June 1913 in Donegal, Ireland.

In conclusion, the Donehoo surname is thought to have originated in Ireland before it was spread to other countries and has numerous variants and spellings, such as Donahow, Danahoe, and Dunahoe, as well as mixed surnames due to marriage.

Famous people with the name Donehoo

• Daniel Donehoo: American voice over artist and award-winning audiobook narrator
• Will Donehoo: Australian fashion designer, specializing in made-to-measure garments
• William Donehoo: Executive Chef at Philadelphia's Union Trust Steakhouse
• Elizabeth Donehoo: Adaptive leader and senior healthcare executive
• Francis Donehoo: Louisiana born singer, songwriter, and guitarist
• April Donehoo: American country and pop music singer and songwriter
• Jon Donehoo: Grammy-nominated composer of film, television, and video game music
• Jim Donehoo: Award-winning cinematographer, most notably for his work on the movie Insidious
• James Donehoo: American film and television writer and producer, best known for his work on the show Rectify
• Susan Donehoo: American executive producer and Reality TV producer, most known for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Other surnames

Donehue