Home › Irish Surnames › Hickey

Irish surname

Hickey: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó hÍceadha (also Ó hÍcidhe) · 'descendant of Íceadh' (healer)

Woulfe (1923) gives Hickey as an anglicised form of Ó hÍceadha, 'descendant of Íceadh' (healer), a medical family of Dalcassian origin who were hereditary physicians to the O'Briens and others in Thomond. They were seated at Ballyhickey, in the parish of Clooney, Co. Clare. In 1890, 139 Hickey births (including spelling varieties) were registered in Ireland, mostly in Munster.

Shop Hickey crest giftsRead the history
Coat of arms associated with the Hickey surname
Irish formÓ hÍceadha (also Ó hÍcidhe)
Meaning'descendant of Íceadh' (healer)
CountiesClare, Cork, Tipperary, Dublin
Other spellings3
Welcome offer $10 off orders of $20 or more with code WELCOME10 One use per customer. Cannot be combined with other offers.

Hickey crest gifts

Clan Ohickey Coat Of Arms II Irisharms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap FN22 Ohickey Coat Of Arms II Irisharms Irish Cap Ohickey Coat Of Arms II Irisharms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45Clan Ohickey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap BA32 Ohickey Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Ohickey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45Clan Ohickey Coat Of Arms II Irisharms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapYV89 Classic Cap - Ohickey Coat Of Arms II Irisharms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Ohickey Coat Of Arms II Irisharms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Ohickey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapMV72 Classic Cap - Ohickey Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Ohickey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Hickey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapMK21 Classic Cap - Hickey Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Hickey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Hickey Irish coat of arms glass ornaments, heart and round, hanging on a Christmas treeHickey Coat of Arms – Irish Family Crest Glass Ornament$24.99Hickey Irish coat of arms acrylic ornament hanging on a Christmas treeHickey Coat of Arms – Irish Family Crest Ornament$19.99O'Hickey Irish coat of arms glass ornaments, heart and round, hanging on a Christmas treeO'Hickey Coat of Arms – Irish Family Crest Glass Ornament$24.99O'Hickey Irish coat of arms acrylic ornament hanging on a Christmas treeO'Hickey Coat of Arms – Irish Family Crest Ornament$19.99

Origin of the Hickey name

Ó hÍceadha was 'the name of a medical family of Dalcassian origin who were hereditary physicians to the O'Briens and other families in Thomond'. They were seated at Ballyhickey, in the parish of Clooney, Co. Clare. Woulfe adds that the name 'is now common all through Munster'.[1]

  1. 1586Antony Hickey, Franciscan theologian, born in the Barony of Islands, Co. Clare.[4]
  2. 1607Antony Hickey received the Franciscan habit, 1 November.[4]
  3. 1619Hickey summoned to Rome to work with Luke Wadding on the Franciscan Annals.[4]
  4. 1641Antony Hickey died in Rome, 26 June.[4]
  5. 1890139 Hickey births registered (incl. varieties), chiefly in Cork, Tipperary, Dublin, Limerick and Clare.[3][2]

Where in Ireland

Co. ClareThe family was seated at Ballyhickey, parish of Clooney; a principal Hickey county in 1890.[1][3]
Co. CorkFirst county named for Hickey births in 1890.[3]
Co. TipperaryAmong the counties where Hickey was principally found in 1890.[3]
Co. DublinAmong the counties where Hickey was principally found in 1890.[3]
Co. LimerickAmong the counties where Hickey was principally found in 1890.[3]

Notable people named Hickey

Antony Hickey, O.F.M.1586–1641Clare-born Franciscan theologian at Louvain and Rome; worked with Luke Wadding; elected definitor general in 1639.[4]

Other spellings

O'Hickey · Hickie · O Hickee[1]

The Hickey coat of arms

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

Hickey surname: questions

What does the surname Hickey mean?

Woulfe gives Hickey as a form of Ó hÍceadha, 'descendant of Íceadh', and translates Íceadh as 'healer'.[1]

Were the Hickeys doctors?

Woulfe says Ó hÍceadha was a medical family of Dalcassian origin, hereditary physicians to the O'Briens and other families in Thomond.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Hickey name from?

The family was seated at Ballyhickey, parish of Clooney, Co. Clare. In 1890 Hickey births were found principally in Cork, Tipperary, Dublin, Limerick and Clare; 82 of 139 were in Munster.[1][3]

Is Hickey an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe lists O'Hickey, Hickey and Hickie among the anglicised forms of the Irish surname Ó hÍceadha (Ó hÍcidhe).[1]

Sources

  1. Ó hÍceadha — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-hiceadha.php
  2. 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
  3. Hickey — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/hickey.php
  4. Antony Hickey, O.F.M. — Catholic Encyclopedia (Gregory Cleary, 1910), New Advent. newadvent.org/cathen/07321b.htm

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