Home › Irish Surnames › Gallagher

Irish surname

Gallagher: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Gallchobhair · 'descendant of Gallchobhar' (foreign help)

Gallagher is an anglicised form of the Irish Ó Gallchobhair, 'descendant of Gallchobhar'. Woulfe (1923) calls it the name of a numerous and once powerful family in Tirconnell who served as marshals of O'Donnell's forces. In 1890 Donegal alone accounted for two-thirds of the Gallagher births in Ulster.

Shop Gallagher crest giftsRead the history
Coat of arms associated with the Gallagher surname
Irish formÓ Gallchobhair
Meaning'descendant of Gallchobhar' (foreign help)
CountiesDonegal, Mayo, Tyrone, Sligo
Other spellings5

Origin of the Gallagher name

Woulfe calls it the name of a numerous and once powerful family in Tirconnell, descended from Maolchobha, King of Ireland in the 7th century. As marshals of O'Donnell's forces, the O'Gallaghers took a prominent part in the military movements of Cinel Conaill from the 14th century on, and many were Bishops of Raphoe and Derry.[1]

  1. 1569Redmond O'Gallagher appointed Bishop of Derry.[5]
  2. 1575Redmond O'Gallagher made Administrator of Armagh during the primate's absence.[5]
  3. 1601Bishop Redmond O'Gallagher killed by a body of soldiers.[5]
  4. 1725James O'Gallagher appointed Bishop of Raphoe.[4]
  5. 1734Bishop James O'Gallagher escapes capture by night on horseback.[4]
  6. 1736His Irish sermons, written in hiding on a lake island, are printed.[4]
  7. 1737James O'Gallagher transferred to Kildare.[4]
  8. 1890488 Gallagher birth entries in Ireland, 295 of them in Ulster.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. DonegalDonegal alone furnished two-thirds of the Gallagher births in Ulster in 1890.[3]
Co. MayoSecond-named county for Gallagher births in 1890; Connaught had 144 of 488.[3]
Co. TyroneAmong the principal counties for Gallagher births in 1890.[3]
Co. SligoAmong the principal counties for Gallagher births in 1890.[3]
Co. LondonderryAmong the principal counties for Gallagher births in 1890.[3]

Notable people named Gallagher

Redmond O'GallagherBishop of Derry 1569–1601Administrator of Armagh in 1575; killed by a body of soldiers in 1601.[5]
James O'GallagherBishop of Raphoe 1725–1737Escaped soldiers in 1734; wrote Irish sermons in hiding, printed 1736; transferred to Kildare in 1737.[4]

Other spellings

O'Gallagher · Gallaher · Gallogher · Gollagher · Gallahue[1]

The Gallagher coat of arms

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

Gallagher crest gifts

Clan Gallagher Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap VV12 Gallagher Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Gallagher Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45Clan Gallagher Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapZU22 Classic Cap - Gallagher Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Gallagher Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45

Gallagher surname: questions

What does the surname Gallagher mean?

Woulfe gives Gallagher as an anglicised form of Ó Gallchobhair, 'descendant of Gallchobhar', and glosses Gallchobhar as 'foreign help'.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Gallagher name from?

Woulfe places the family in Tirconnell, where they were marshals of O'Donnell's forces. In 1890 Gallagher births were found principally in Donegal, Mayo, Tyrone, Sligo, Londonderry and Dublin, with Donegal alone furnishing two-thirds of those in Ulster.[1][3]

Are Gallagher, O'Gallagher and Gallaher the same name?

Yes: Woulfe lists O'Gallagher, Gallagher, Gallaher, Gallogher and Gollagher as anglicised forms of Ó Gallchobhair. He adds that the name was sometimes shortened to Ó Gallchú, anglicised Gallahue.[1][2]

Were there Gallagher bishops?

Woulfe says many O'Gallaghers were Bishops of Raphoe and Derry. The Catholic Encyclopedia records Redmond O'Gallagher, Bishop of Derry from 1569, and James O'Gallagher, Bishop of Raphoe from 1725.[1][4][5]

Sources

  1. Ó Gallchobhair — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/og/o-gallchobhair.php
  2. Ó Gallchú — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/og/o-gallchu.php
  3. Gallagher – Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909; 1890 birth indexes), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/gallagher.php
  4. Raphoe — Catholic Encyclopedia (1911), New Advent. newadvent.org/cathen/12647a.htm
  5. Derry (Deria) — Catholic Encyclopedia (1908), New Advent. newadvent.org/cathen/04742a.htm

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