Home › Irish Surnames › Keogh

Irish surname

Keogh: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mac Eochadha · 'son of Eochaidh' (a very common Irish personal name in ancient times)

Keogh is an anglicised form of the Irish surname Mac Eochadha, 'son of Eochaidh'. Woulfe (1923) records four separate families of the name: one in Leinster, two in Co. Roscommon and one in Co. Tipperary. Bearers include the Catholic leader John Keogh (1740–1817) and Captain Myles Keogh, who was killed at the Little Bighorn in 1876.

Shop Keogh crest giftsRead the history
Coat of arms associated with the Keogh surname
Irish formMac Eochadha
Meaning'son of Eochaidh' (a very common Irish personal name in ancient times)
CountiesRoscommon, Tipperary
Other spellings6

Origin of the Keogh name

Woulfe lists four families named Mac Eochadha: a Leinster family of the same stock as the O'Byrnes, once famous as poets; a Roscommon branch of the O'Kellys of Uí Maine, chiefs of Moyfinn; a Tipperary family, chiefs of Owney until displaced by the O'Mulryans; and a Roscommon family, chiefs of Moylurg until displaced by the MacDermotts.[1]

  1. 1678John K'eogh, of a MacEochadh family, installed prebendary of Termonbarry.[3]
  2. 1792Catholic Convention meets at Tailors' Hall; Henry Grattan Jr. credits it mainly to Keogh.[2]
  3. 1793Act passed mainly through Keogh and the Convention's committee lets Catholics vote.[2]
  4. 1866Myles Keogh appointed captain in the US 7th Cavalry.[4]
  5. 1876Captain Myles Keogh killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.[4]

Where in Ireland

Co. RoscommonTwo families: chiefs of Moyfinn (barony of Athlone), and anciently chiefs of Moylurg (barony of Boyle).[1]
Co. TipperaryA family anciently chiefs of Owney, dispossessed many centuries ago by the O'Mulryans.[1]

Notable people named Keogh

John Keogh1740–1817Dublin merchant and leading campaigner for Catholic rights; central to the Catholic Convention of December 1792.[2]
John K'eogh, D.D.mid-17th century – 1720sScholar born near Limerick; his family were 'originally MacEochadhs'; prebendary of Termonbarry for 47 years.[3]
Myles Keogh1840–1876Irish-born soldier; served in Italy and the American Civil War; killed commanding at the Little Bighorn.[4]

Other spellings

MacKeogh · MacKeough · MacKeo · MacKough · Keoghoe · Keough[1]

The Keogh coat of arms

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

Keogh crest gifts

Clan Keogh Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapAJ20 Classic Cap - Keogh Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Keogh Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45

Keogh surname: questions

What does the surname Keogh mean?

Woulfe gives it as an anglicised form of Mac Eochadha, 'son of Eochaidh', Eochaidh being a very common Irish personal name in ancient times.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Keogh name from?

Woulfe records four families of the name: one in Leinster (of the same stock as the O'Byrnes), two in Co. Roscommon (at Moyfinn and Moylurg) and one in Co. Tipperary (Owney).[1]

Are Keogh and McKeogh the same name?

Woulfe lists MacKeogh, MacKeough, MacKeo, MacKough, Keoghoe, Keogh and Keough as anglicised forms of the same Irish surname, Mac Eochadha.[1]

Who was Myles Keogh?

According to the US National Park Service, Myles Keogh was born in Ireland in 1840, served in Italy and in the American Civil War, and was killed at the Little Bighorn in 1876 as a captain in the 7th Cavalry. His horse Comanche was found wounded and nursed back to health.[4]

Sources

  1. Mac Eochadha — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/mace/mac-eochadha.php
  2. John Keogh — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/JohnKeogh.php
  3. John K'eogh, D.D. — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/JohnKeoghDD.php
  4. Capt. Myles Keogh — Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, U.S. National Park Service. nps.gov/libi/learn/historyculture/capt-myles-keogh.htm