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Irish surname

Hegarty: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó hÉigceartaigh, Ó hÉigeartaigh · 'descendant of Éigceartach' (unjust)

Woulfe (1923) gives Hegarty and O'Hegarty as anglicised forms of Ó hÉigceartaigh, 'descendant of Éigceartach', the name of a Cinel Eoghain family in Tyrone, Derry and Donegal; a branch settled in Cork, 'where the name is now common'. In 1890, Ireland's birth indexes held 100 entries for Hegarty and its spelling varieties (96 spelled Hegarty), four-fifths of them in Cork, Donegal, Clare, Londonderry and Mayo.

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Coat of arms associated with the Hegarty surname
Irish formÓ hÉigceartaigh, Ó hÉigeartaigh
Meaning'descendant of Éigceartach' (unjust)
CountiesCork, Donegal, Londonderry, Tyrone
Other spellings6

Origin of the Hegarty name

Woulfe: Ó hÉigceartaigh was 'the name of a family of Cinel Eoghain, in Tyrone, Derry and Donegal. A branch of the family settled in Cork, where the name is now common.' He also lists Hegarty under Ó hÁgartaigh, a variant of Ó hÓgartaigh.[1][2]

  1. 1690Terry's list of septs prints 'O HEGERTY' (Woulfe: Hegerty, a form of Ó hÉigceartaigh).[5][1]
  2. 1890100 entries incl. varieties (96 as Hegarty); four-fifths in Cork, Donegal, Clare, Londonderry, Mayo.[3][7]
  3. 1922P. S. O'Hegarty becomes Secretary of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs.[6]

Where in Ireland

Co. CorkA branch settled in Cork, 'where the name is now common' (Woulfe); first county named in 1890.[1][3]
Co. DonegalCinel Eoghain family of Tyrone, Derry and Donegal; a principal Hegarty county in 1890.[1][3]
Co. LondonderryWoulfe's 'Derry'; among the counties holding four-fifths of Hegarty births in 1890.[1][3]
Co. TyroneOne of the three counties of the Cinel Eoghain family named by Woulfe.[1]
Co. ClareAmong the five counties holding four-fifths of Hegarty births in 1890.[3]
Co. MayoAmong the five counties holding four-fifths of Hegarty births in 1890.[3]

Notable people named Hegarty

P. S. (Patrick Sarsfield) O'Hegarty1879–1955Born in Carrignavar, Cork; civil servant, bookseller, historian; Secretary of Posts and Telegraphs 1922–1945.[6]

Other spellings

O'Hegarty · Hagarty · Hegerty · Higerty · Hagerty · Heggarty[1]

The Hegarty coat of arms

'O HEGERTY' is printed in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as reproduced by Matheson; Woulfe (1923) gives 'Hegerty' as one anglicised form of Ó hÉigceartaigh. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named Hegarty is entitled to a coat of arms.[5][1]

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

Hegarty crest gifts

Clan Ohegarty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapAZ93 Classic Cap - Ohegarty Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Ohegarty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Hegarty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapVJ43 Classic Cap - Hegarty Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Hegarty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Ohegarty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap VP84 Ohegarty Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Ohegarty Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45

Hegarty surname: questions

What does the surname Hegarty mean?

Woulfe gives Hegarty as a form of Ó hÉigceartaigh, 'descendant of Éigceartach', a personal name he glosses as 'unjust'.[1]

Is Hegarty an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe lists O'Hegarty, Hegarty, Hegerty, Hagarty and Higerty as anglicised forms of Ó hÉigceartaigh, a family of Cinel Eoghain.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Hegarty name from?

Woulfe places the family in Tyrone, Derry and Donegal, with a branch in Cork, 'where the name is now common' (1923). In 1890 four-fifths of Hegarty birth entries (including spelling varieties) were in Cork, Donegal, Clare, Londonderry and Mayo.[1][3][7]

Are Hegarty and O'Hegarty the same name?

Yes. Woulfe lists O'Hegarty and Hegarty together as anglicised forms of Ó hÉigceartaigh.[1]

Sources

  1. Ó hÉigceartaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-heigceartaigh.php
  2. Ó hÁgartaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-hagartaigh.php
  3. Hegarty — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/hegarty.php
  4. Hegarty — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/865.php
  5. 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
  6. P. S. O'Hegarty and his Collection — Easter 1916: Rebellion and Memory in Ireland (online exhibit), KU Libraries Exhibits, University of Kansas. exhibits.lib.ku.edu/exhibits/show/easter-1916/ohegarty
  7. Table Explanation — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/table-explanation.php

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