Surname Dunphy - Meaning and Origin

Dunphy: What does the surname Dunphy mean?

The surname Dunphy is of Irish origin and derives from the Gaelic "Dhonnchaidh", which means "brown warrior". This patronymic surname was likely first used in the province of Munster in southern Ireland. The name evolved over time, also appearing as "Donohoe" among other variations, before becoming Dunphy. Like many surnames, Dunphy was likely used to denote family lineage and may also have been indicative of the original bearers' traits, profession or location. Today, people with the Dunphy surname can be found around the world, particularly in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, largely due to waves of Irish migration, especially during the Great Famine in the 19th century. Despite its global dispersion, the surname remains a proud symbol of Irish heritage.

Dunphy: Where does the name Dunphy come from?

The last name Dunphy is primarily found in Ireland and areas with immigrant communities from Ireland. In particular, the Dunphy name is most common within the provinces of Munster, Leinster, and Ulster. It is the Whitlock's most commonly found name in the province of Munster.

In North America, many people with the last name Dunphy can be found in the two countries of Canada and the United States. In Canada, the name is primarily present in the east coast provinces of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Ontario. In the United States, the Dunphy name is most numerous in the states of New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and California.

According to the World Names Public Profiler, a database of surnames that have been studied extensively, the last name Dunphy can be found in the United Kingdom, especially in the counties of Lancashire, Shropshire, and Worcestershire.

The Dunphy name can also be found in smaller numbers in Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, and other countries with close connections to Ireland.

Overall, the last name Dunphy is more common near areas with long-standing Irish roots, including those countries with sizable Irish-descended immigrant populations. As time and migration patterns have changed in recent years, however, the Dunphy name can now be found around the world.

Variations of the surname Dunphy

The surname Dunphy is an anglicized version of the Irish name O’Duinfhiadh, which is derived from the Gaelic words “dun”, which means “chief”, and “fiadh” which means “wild”. This surname can be found with a range of different spelling variants and could be spelt as Dunfy, Dunfey, O'Doneffy, O'Dunphy, Dunfye, Dunfee, Donfey, Donphy, Doneffy, and Donefie.

The most common variant of the surname Dunphy is O’Duinfhiadh, which can be found throughout Ireland. It is the most ancient spelling of the surname and has been around since the 11th century. The O'Duinfhiadh family arose in the province of Connacht and spread throughout the surrounding areas, eventually settling in various parts of Ulster, Munster and Leinster. Many of the variants of the surname originated in county Clare, but many can also be found in other parts of Ireland.

The name Dunphy is also found in Scotland with variants such as Dunnfie and Donefy. This could point to the possibility of a shared ancestry between Irish and Scots.

In the United States, the surname Dunphy is especially popular in New England, Pennsylvania and New York, with variants such as Dunfee, Dunfey and Donfey. The variant Doneffy is also found throughout the United States.

The variations of the surname Dunphy can be found in many other countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and even South Africa.

Overall, the name Dunphy is widely used in the Celtic nations and is an ancient Irish name with many different variants and spellings.

Famous people with the name Dunphy

• Ty Burrell: American actor best known for playing Phil Dunphy on ABC sitcom Modern Family.
• Mike Dunphy: former professional hockey player.
• Tammy Dunphy: Canadian figure skater and coach.
• Robert Dunphy: American astrophysicist.
• Paul Dunphy: British professional footballer.
• Chris Dunphy: American businessman and investor.
• Simon Dunphy: Australian folk singer.
• Ben Dunphy: English visual artist.
• Angela Dunphy: Canadian painter, sculptor and installation artist.
• Patrick Dunphy: Irish hurler.
• Mark Dunphy: Irish Gaelic footballer.
• Michael Dunphy: American college basketball coach.
• Kevin Dunphy: Canadian country music artist.
• Tadhg Dunphy: Irish former professional footballer.
• Ray Dunphy: Canadian professional golfer.
• Jack Dunphy: American songwriter and lyricist.
• Elena Dunphy: British sculptor.
• Sean Dunphy: Irish singer and entertainer.
• Jerry Dunphy: American television news anchor and commentator.
• Tom Dunphy: Irish former Gaelic footballer and manager.

Other surnames

Dunphey