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Irish surname

Maher: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Meachair · 'descendant of Meachar' (hospitable)

Maher and Meagher are anglicised forms of Ó Meachair, 'descendant of Meachar' (hospitable). Woulfe (1923) calls it the name of a Tipperary family, of the same stock as the O'Carrolls of Ely-O'Carroll, who were lords of Ui Cairin, now the barony of Ikerrin. In Matheson's 1890 survey Maher was the 87th commonest surname in Ireland, with about 9,000 people.

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Coat of arms associated with the Maher surname
Irish formÓ Meachair
Meaning'descendant of Meachar' (hospitable)
CountiesTipperary, Kilkenny, Dublin, Carlow
Other spellings4

Origin of the Maher name

A Tipperary family of the same stock as the O'Carrolls of Ely-O'Carroll, lords of Ui Cairin, now the barony of Ikerrin, in the north of the county. O'Meachair resided at Druim Saileach, where, Woulfe wrote in 1923, 'now stands the castle of Moydrum', about five miles south of Roscrea.[1]

  1. Shortly after the Anglo-Norman invasionIkerrin added to Ormond; O'Meachair kept possession as tributary to the Earl.[1]
  2. 1690'O MAHER' appears in Sir James Terry's list of Irish septs.[6]
  3. 1823Thomas Francis Meagher born in Waterford, 3 August.[7]
  4. 1848Meagher sentenced to death at Clonmel for high treason; sentence commuted.[7]
  5. 1862Meagher created Brigadier-General, leading the Irish Brigade.[7]
  6. 1890203 births registered (Maher 176, Meagher 27); Tipperary, Dublin, Kilkenny nearly 50%.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. TipperaryOriginal territory, Ui Cairin (Ikerrin); 74 Maher entries in the 1890 Tipperary Births Index.[1][4]
Co. KilkennyWoulfe: numerous throughout Kilkenny; 21 Maher entries in the 1890 Kilkenny Births Index.[1][5]
Co. DublinIn 1890 Tipperary, Dublin and Kilkenny held nearly 50 per cent of Maher births.[3]
Co. CarlowWoulfe: numerous and respectable throughout Tipperary, Kilkenny and Carlow.[1]

Notable people named Maher

Thomas Francis Meagher1823–1867Young Ireland member from Waterford, sent to Tasmania; later Union Brigadier-General and Acting-Governor of Montana.[7]

Other spellings

Meagher · O'Meagher · Magher · O'Maher[1][3]

The Maher coat of arms

The name appears as 'O MAHER' in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as printed by Matheson. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named Maher is entitled to a coat of arms.[6]

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Maher 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.

Maher crest gifts

Clan Maher Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapVJ31 Classic Cap - Maher Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Maher Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

Maher surname: questions

What does the surname Maher mean?

Woulfe gives Maher as an anglicised form of Ó Meachair, 'descendant of Meachar' (hospitable).[1]

Are Maher and Meagher the same name?

Yes. Woulfe lists O'Meagher, O Maher, Meagher, Magher and Maher as anglicised forms of Ó Meachair, and Matheson counted Maher and Meagher together in 1890.[1][3]

Where in Ireland is the Maher name from?

From north Tipperary: the family were lords of Ui Cairin, now the barony of Ikerrin, near Roscrea. In 1890 Tipperary, Dublin and Kilkenny held nearly half of all Maher births.[1][3]

How common is the surname Maher in Ireland?

In Matheson's table for 1890 Maher was 87th among the principal surnames of Ireland, with an estimated 9,000 people.[2]

Sources

  1. Ó Meachair — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/om/o-meachair.php
  2. Principal Surnames in Ireland (1890) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/principal-surnames-ireland.php
  3. Maher — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/maher.php
  4. Registration Province of Munster (leading surnames by county, Births Index 1890) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/munster-names.php
  5. Registration Province of Leinster (leading surnames by county, Births Index 1890) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/leinster-names.php
  6. List of Names of Irish Septs (Terry, 1690) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/irish-septs.php
  7. Thomas Francis Meagher — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/ThomasFrancisMeagher.php

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