Home › Irish Surnames › Doherty

Irish surname

Doherty: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Dochartaigh · 'descendant of Dochartach' (hurtful, disobliging)

Doherty is an anglicised form of Ó Dochartaigh, 'descendant of Dochartach'. Woulfe (1923) says the O'Dohertys, a branch of the Cinel Conaill of the same stock as the O'Donnells, became lords of Inishowen about the beginning of the 15th century. In Matheson's 1890 survey Doherty was the 15th commonest surname in Ireland, with about 20,800 people; Donegal, the first county he names, had 160 of the 414 'Doherty' births.

Shop Doherty crest giftsRead the history
Coat of arms associated with the Doherty surname
Irish formÓ Dochartaigh
Meaning'descendant of Dochartach' (hurtful, disobliging)
CountiesDonegal, Londonderry, Mayo, Cork
Other spellings5

Origin of the Doherty name

A branch of the Cinel Conaill, of the same stock as the O'Donnells. Originally chiefs of Cinel Enna and Ard Miodhair (Ardmire) in the barony of Raphoe; lords of Inishowen from about the early 15th century until Sir Cahir O'Dogherty's rebellion under James I, after which their lands went to Sir Arthur Chichester.[1]

  1. early 15th c.About the beginning of the 15th century the O'Dohertys become lords of Inishowen.[1]
  2. 1600Sir John O'Dogherty dies; his young son Cahir is set aside.[7]
  3. 1608Sir Cahir O'Dogherty burns Derry; killed near Kilmacrenan, 5 July.[7]
  4. 1690'O Dogherty' listed among Irish septs in Terry's Book of Arms.[6]
  5. 1830John Doherty appointed Chief-Justice of the Common Pleas.[8]
  6. 1890457 births registered in Ireland, chiefly in Donegal, Londonderry and Mayo.[5]

Where in Ireland

Co. DonegalRaphoe and Inishowen were the family's lands; 160 of the 414 'Doherty' births of 1890 were here.[1][5][9][10]
Co. LondonderrySecond county named by Matheson for Doherty births in 1890.[5]
Co. MayoThird county named by Matheson for Doherty births in 1890.[5]
Co. CorkWoulfe's separate Corca Laoighdhe family, Ó Dubhartaigh, is numerous here 'but often disguised as Dohertys'.[3]

Notable people named Doherty

Sir Cahir O'Dogherty1587–1608Lord of Inishowen; his 1608 rising took Culmore and burned Derry before he was killed.[7]
John Dohertyc.1783–1850Lawyer and MP for Kilkenny; Solicitor-General, then Chief-Justice of the Common Pleas from 1830.[8]

Other spellings

O'Doherty · O'Dogherty · O'Dougherty · Dogherty · Dougherty[1]

The Doherty coat of arms

The name appears as 'O DOGHERTY' 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 Doherty is entitled to a coat of arms.[6]

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

Doherty crest gifts

Clan Doherty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap EH17 Doherty Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Doherty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45Clan Odoherty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapZB78 Classic Cap - Odoherty Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Odoherty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Doherty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapSL86 Classic Cap - Doherty Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Doherty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45

Doherty surname: questions

What does the surname Doherty mean?

Woulfe gives Doherty as an anglicised form of Ó Dochartaigh, 'descendant of Dochartach', a name he glosses as 'hurtful, disobliging'.[1]

Where in Ireland is Doherty from?

Donegal. Woulfe places the O'Dohertys first in the barony of Raphoe and then as lords of Inishowen, both in Co. Donegal. In 1890, 160 of the 414 Doherty births were in Donegal, with Londonderry and Mayo next.[1][5][9][10]

Are O'Doherty, Dougherty and Doherty the same name?

Woulfe lists O'Doherty, O'Dogherty, O'Dougherty, Dogherty, Dougherty and Doherty among the anglicised forms of Ó Dochartaigh. He also gives Doherty among the forms of Ó Doicheartaigh, found here and there in Munster, and, in brackets, of Ó Dubhartaigh of south-west Cork.[1][2][3]

How common is Doherty in Ireland?

In Matheson's survey of the 1890 Births Index, Doherty was 15th of the hundred principal surnames, with an estimated 20,800 people.[4]

Sources

  1. Ó Dochartaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/od/o-dochartaigh.php
  2. Ó Doicheartaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/od/o-doicheartaigh.php
  3. Ó Dubhartaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/od/o-dubhartaigh.php
  4. Principal Surnames in Ireland (table of 100 principal surnames, Births Index 1890) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/principal-surnames-ireland.php
  5. Doherty — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/doherty.php
  6. Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/irish-septs.php
  7. Sir Cahir O'Dogherty — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/SirCahirODogherty.php
  8. John Doherty — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/JohnDoherty.php
  9. Ráth Bhoth Theas/Raphoe South (barony, Co. Donegal) — Placenames Database of Ireland, logainm.ie. logainm.ie/en/59
  10. Inis Eoghain/Inishowen (locality, Co. Donegal) — Placenames Database of Ireland, logainm.ie. logainm.ie/en/1166250

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