Surname O'Dogherty - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'O'
O'Dogherty: What does the surname O'Dogherty mean?
The surname O'Dogherty is an ancient Irish name, stemming from the ancient Irish Gaelic Ó Dochartaigh. It has its origins in the historic Irish kingdom of Corcu Duibne, located in what is now County Donegal. The realm once extended across parts of Ulster, and the Ó Dochartaigh clan was a powerful ruling family in the area.
The literal meaning of the name is “descendant of Dochartaigh.” Dochartaigh is the Gaelic personal name Dochartach, which translates to “hurtful.” This could be interpreted variously, but it is often understood to symbolize the strength and resilience of the O'Dogherty family.
Over the centuries, the O'Doghertys have accumulated an impressive legacy of wars, politics, literature and religion. They are renowned for their distinguished contributions to Irish history, particularly in Donegal.
Today, the O'Doghertys remain a prominent family in Ireland, particularly in Donegal, where they are respected for their achievements. They are a popular surname, with many descendants proudly bearing the name, especially among the expatriate Irish diaspora. The descendants of Dochartaigh have earned their place among the great families of Irish history and their legacy lives on.
Order DNA origin analysisO'Dogherty: Where does the name O'Dogherty come from?
The last name O’Dogherty is most commonly found in Ireland today. The name originated in the County Donegal in Northwest Ireland. It can also be found in the surrounding counties of Derry, Fermanagh and Sligo. It is believed to be an anglicized form of the Irish surnames of "O'dochartaigh," "O'Doherty," or "MacDochartach".
This Irish clan originates from an ancient clan who were one of the seven septs of Ulster, a confederation of small kingdoms and clans in Ireland located in the northern portion of the island.
The O’Dogherty clan’s homeland was the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal and this area is still known to bear the highest concentration of the O’Dogherty name throughout Ireland. The O’Dogherty clan is believed to have descended from the Ui Breasail, a pre-Norman ruling class of Gaelic Ireland.
The name O’Dogherty is most often found in Northern Ireland today, although it has spread to other parts of the world, as many Irish people have emigrated to other lands during the last two centuries. In the United States, O’Dogherty is found throughout all fifty states, along with Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, as well as many countries in Europe and beyond.
Today, there are many descendants of the O’Dogherty name all over the world, all of whom still proudly exercise their Irish heritage and culture.
Variations of the surname O'Dogherty
The O'Dogherty surname has a variety of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
Variants such as O'Doherty, O'Dougherty, O'Daugherty and O'Dochartaigh can all be used. In Irish, depending on the spelling of the name, it is pronounced DOH-erty, DOE-erty or DOH-cart-tah.
In the west of Ireland, the O'Dogherty surname is sometimes spelled as O'Doherty, but the surname remains the same. O'Doherty is the more common spelling.
The closest variant of the O’Dogherty surname is O'Daugherty, which is seen mainly in the U.S. This variant of the name was likely brought to America with immigrants during the 19th century.
Other variants of the name includes Doherty, Dougherty, Doggart, Druart, Dughert and Dooghert.
There are many other variant spellings and surnames of the same origin as the O'Dogherty surname, including Doherty, Doherty Keefe, Dudoherty and Dogan.
Overall, there are a wide variety of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin as the O'Dogherty surname that have been used throughout history.
Famous people with the name O'Dogherty
- Dónal O'Dogherty: Irish priest, historian, and author
- John O'Dogherty: Irish politician
- Jamie O'Dogherty: Professional Footballer
- Tulsi O'Dogherty: British television producer
- Kevin O'Dogherty: Irish businessman and entrepreneur
- Liam O'Dogherty: Irish poet and playwright
- Lara O'Dogherty: Australian actor and presenter
- Robyn O'Dogherty: American entrepreneur and activist
- Jackie O'Dogherty: Irish television presenter
- Chris O'Dogherty: American former professional basketball player
- Robert O'Dogherty: American film director
- Caitriona O'Dogherty: Irish novelist
- Brian O'Dogherty: British former actor, screenwriter, and author
- Declan O'Dogherty: Irish actor