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ArchivesRe: Irish surnames: Gallagher, O'Doherty
in reply to a message by M.S.
Meaning of the Name "Gallagher"
Gallagher, male, Celtic, meaning: 'eager aide', variants: Gallagar, Gahan
(origin: Gaelic.) From Gallach, valiant, brave, and er put for fear, a man. Air is a common termination of nouns, and changes into eir, ir, or, oir, and uir, its etymon being fear, a man.
Gallagher: O Gallchobhair. This name (gallchobhar, foreign help) has at least 23 variant spellings in anglicized forms, several of them beggining with Goole instead of Gal. It is one of the principal septs in Co. Donegal. Map Donegal.
Meaning of the surname O'Doherty:
O'Doherty: O Dochartaigh (dochartach, hurtful). The leading sept of Inishtown Doherty is now one of the most numerous names in Ireland, it is still mainly found in Ulster. Map Donegal
Note: the component O' means 'son of...', thus O'Doherty is 'son of Dochartaigh'. The name Dochartaigh means 'hurtful'.
good source about the 40 most common Irish surnames:
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/4crests/orof40moscom.html
Gallagher, male, Celtic, meaning: 'eager aide', variants: Gallagar, Gahan
(origin: Gaelic.) From Gallach, valiant, brave, and er put for fear, a man. Air is a common termination of nouns, and changes into eir, ir, or, oir, and uir, its etymon being fear, a man.
Gallagher: O Gallchobhair. This name (gallchobhar, foreign help) has at least 23 variant spellings in anglicized forms, several of them beggining with Goole instead of Gal. It is one of the principal septs in Co. Donegal. Map Donegal.
Meaning of the surname O'Doherty:
O'Doherty: O Dochartaigh (dochartach, hurtful). The leading sept of Inishtown Doherty is now one of the most numerous names in Ireland, it is still mainly found in Ulster. Map Donegal
Note: the component O' means 'son of...', thus O'Doherty is 'son of Dochartaigh'. The name Dochartaigh means 'hurtful'.
good source about the 40 most common Irish surnames:
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/4crests/orof40moscom.html
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