by Jim Young (guest)
9/7/2007, 11:18 AM
More likely Irish; Hoy is found in Northern Ireland as another version of Hoey, whoch can be for Ó hAoidh (O'Hea) or Ó hEochaidh (O'Haughey).
Hoy is also an English surname "Middle Dutch hoey 'cargo ship'. Metonymic for a sailor" (Reaney and Wilson, "Dictionary...").