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Irish surname

Geraghty: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mag Oireachtaigh; also an anglicised form of Ó hOireachtaigh · 'son of Oireachtach' (member of a court or assembly); or (Ó hOireachtaigh) 'descendant of Oireachtach' (holding or frequenting assemblies)

Woulfe (1923) gives Geraghty under two different headwords. First Mag Oireachtaigh, 'son of Oireachtach', 'the name of an ancient and respectable Connacht family, of the same stock as the O'Connors', who 'were chiefs of Muinntear Roduibh in Co. Roscommon until dispossessed about the middle of the 16th century'. Second Ó hOireachtaigh, 'descendant of Oireachtach', 'the name of several distinct families, formerly located in Galway, Westmeath and Donegal; now most frequent in Donegal and Mayo', which he says is 'often disguised under the anglicised forms of Harty, Geraghty, Harrington, and even O'Connor'. In 1890, 72 Geraghty birth entries including spelling varieties (54 spelled Geraghty) were recorded in Ireland, principally in Galway, Mayo and Dublin.

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Coat of arms associated with the Geraghty surname
Irish formMag Oireachtaigh; also an anglicised form of Ó hOireachtaigh
Meaning'son of Oireachtach' (member of a court or assembly); or (Ó hOireachtaigh) 'descendant of Oireachtach' (holding or frequenting assemblies)
CountiesRoscommon, Galway, Westmeath, Donegal
Other spellings9

Origin of the Geraghty name

Woulfe: Mag Oireachtaigh, 'son of Oireachtach', is 'the name of an ancient and respectable Connacht family, of the same stock as the O'Connors', chiefs of Muinntear Roduibh, Co. Roscommon, 'until dispossessed about the middle of the 16th century'; 'even as late as 1585, they formed a distinct clan, with a recognised chief of the name, who, however, was then seated in O'Kelly's country of Ui Maine'. Geraghty is also one of the forms Woulfe gives for Ó hOireachtaigh, 'the name of several distinct families, formerly located in Galway, Westmeath and Donegal', which he says is 'often disguised under the anglicised forms of Harty, Geraghty, Harrington, and even O'Connor'.[1][2]

  1. 1181Four Masters: 'Gilchreest, the son of Mageraghty O'Rodiv' is slain in battle.[4]
  2. 1225Four Masters: Donn Oge Mageraghty, deprived of his lands by O'Conor (i.e. Hugh), turns against him.[5]
  3. 1230Four Masters: 'Donn Oge Mageraghty... slain' by the son of William Burke.[6]
  4. 1241Four Masters: 'Sitric Mageraghty, Chief of Clann-Tomalty, died.'[7]
  5. 1268Four Masters: 'Manus Mageraghty, Chief of Clann-Tomalty... died.'[8]
  6. 1278Four Masters: 'Tomaltagh Mageraghty, Royal Chieftain of Sil-Murray, was slain by the people of the Tuathas.'[9]
  7. 1297Four Masters: 'Henry Mageraghty, Bishop of Conor, died.'[10]
  8. 1343Four Masters: 'David Mageraghty, coarb of St. Patrick, died.'[11]
  9. 1348Four Masters: 'Melaghlin Mageraghty, Chief of Muinter Rodiv... died.'[12]
  10. 1585Woulfe: the family still 'formed a distinct clan, with a recognised chief', then seated in O'Kelly's country of Ui Maine.[1]
  11. 189072 Geraghty birth entries incl. varieties (54 spelled Geraghty); principally Galway, Mayo and Dublin.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. RoscommonWoulfe: Mag Oireachtaigh were chiefs of Muinntear Roduibh in Co. Roscommon until dispossessed about the mid-16th century.[1]
Co. GalwayWoulfe: an Ó hOireachtaigh family was formerly located in Galway; also Matheson's first principal county for 1890 Geraghty births.[2][3]
Co. WestmeathWoulfe: an Ó hOireachtaigh family was formerly located in Westmeath.[2]
Co. DonegalWoulfe: Ó hOireachtaigh families were formerly located in Donegal, and the name is 'now most frequent in Donegal and Mayo'.[2]
Co. MayoWoulfe: Ó hOireachtaigh is 'now most frequent in Donegal and Mayo'; also a principal county for Matheson's 1890 Geraghty births.[2][3]
Co. DublinNamed by Matheson among the counties where Geraghty births were principally found in 1890.[3]

Notable people named Geraghty

Henry Mageraghtyd. 1297Bishop of Conor; the Four Masters record that he 'died, and was interred in the monastery of Drogheda. He was a monk.'[10]

Other spellings

MacGeraghty · Mageraghty · MacGerety · MacGerrity · Geraty · Gerety · Gerity · Gearty · Gerty[1]

The Geraghty coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Geraghty surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Geraghty crest gifts

Clan Geraghty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapXE29 Classic Cap - Geraghty Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Geraghty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Geraghty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap PE24 Geraghty Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Geraghty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00

Geraghty surname: questions

What does the surname Geraghty mean?

Woulfe gives Mag Oireachtaigh as 'son of Oireachtach' (member of a court or assembly), and separately lists Geraghty under Ó hOireachtaigh, 'descendant of Oireachtach' (holding or frequenting assemblies).[1][2]

Where in Ireland is the Geraghty name from?

Woulfe's Mag Oireachtaigh family were chiefs of Muinntear Roduibh in Co. Roscommon until the mid-16th century, later seated in O'Kelly's country of Ui Maine. His Ó hOireachtaigh families were formerly in Galway, Westmeath and Donegal, now most frequent in Donegal and Mayo. In 1890, Geraghty births were principally found in Galway, Mayo and Dublin.[1][2][3]

Is Geraghty related to the O'Connors?

Woulfe says Mag Oireachtaigh is 'an ancient and respectable Connacht family, of the same stock as the O'Connors', and that the original surname 'was Ó Roduibh' before the descendants of Oireachtach Ó Roduibh adopted Mag Oireachtaigh towards the end of the 12th century.[1]

Is Geraghty the same name as Harty or Harrington?

Sometimes, in Woulfe's account. He says Ó hOireachtaigh, 'the name of several distinct families', is 'often disguised under the anglicised forms of Harty, Geraghty, Harrington, and even O'Connor'. Geraghty is also his anglicised form of a second Irish surname, Mag Oireachtaigh, 'an ancient and respectable Connacht family, of the same stock as the O'Connors', and he adds only 'Compare with Ó hOireacht for Ó hOireachtaigh'.[2]

Sources

  1. Mag Oireachtaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/mag/mag-oireachtaigh.php
  2. Ó hOireachtaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-hoireachtaigh.php
  3. Geraghty — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/geraghty.php
  4. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), M1181.5 (CELT edition, T100005C text001, annal years 1172-1181), CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text001.html
  5. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1225 (part 6) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text006.html
  6. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1230 (part 6) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text006.html
  7. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1241 (part 7) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text007.html
  8. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1268 (part 10) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text010.html
  9. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1278 (part 11) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text011.html
  10. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1297 (part 13) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text013.html
  11. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1343 (part 18) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text018.html
  12. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1348 (part 18) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text018.html

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).