Surname Keighry - Meaning and Origin
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Keighry: What does the surname Keighry mean?
The last name Keighry is an Anglicized form of the Irish name Mac Aodhruaidh which means “son of Aodhruaidh”. Aodhruaidh itself is derived from the Gaelic name Aodh which means fire.
Keighry families were likely descended from the original Aodhruaidh, a Gaelic chieftain in Ireland around the 12th century. This was a time when clans held large territories and the clan owned all the land including livestock, crops and other resources.
Surnames were not always passed down in Ireland, so while this last name carries ancient origins, the exact line of the Mac Aodhruaidh family in modern times is difficult to trace. Historically the name is associated with counties Limerick, Cork, Galway, and Wexford, but today, it is found throughout Ireland, and throughout the diaspora due to Irish immigration.
The last name Keighry will have different meanings to different people depending on what family history and traditions they have. It can be a reminder of the ancient Gaelic clans of Ireland who held their own despite invasion, colonization and displacement. It can also represent a unique surname brought over to a new country by those who left Ireland in search of a better life.
Order DNA origin analysisKeighry: Where does the name Keighry come from?
The last name Keighry is most commonly found in Ireland today. It is thought that the name originates from the Irish Gaelic language, although it is unclear if the name is derived from a place name or from another given name.
The Keighry surname most frequently appears in County Cork in the south of the country. While records show that the name has spread throughout the Irish diaspora to countries in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, it remains most common in Ireland.
In recent years, the Irish population has grown significantly, leading to an increase in the number of Keighrys living in Ireland. Records indicate that it is the twenty-fifth most common name in the country and that as many as 40% of the population contain members with the Keighry surname.
The last name Keighry might have originally derived from a variety of sources, including one of the names of an ancient Irish chieftain. The meaning of the name as a given name or a surname is unknown but it is still popular amongst Irish families today.
Variations of the surname Keighry
The surname Keighry is a predominantly Irish surname which has a variety of spellings and alternate surnames that are all connected to the same origin.
The most common variants include; Kehoe, MacKehry, MacKehoe, MacKeogh, MacKeough, Keighray, and Kehry.
The most widely used variant, Kehoe, is an anglicised version of the Gaelic surname MacEochaidh, which is derived from the ancient female first name Eochaidh.
This is the patronymic name for the descendants of Eochaidh. The prefix Mac (son of) was added to the surname in the late Middle Ages when inherited surnames became commonplace in Ireland.
In addition, some of the variants may develop from mistakes made in the recording process, such as the misreading of Kehoe as Keighry, MacKehry, MacKehoe, MacKeogh and MacKeough.
There are also a few non- Irish surnames that share the same origin as Keighry, including Kiker and Kiker, which are found in areas of Scotland, Germany and New Zealand.
Regardless of the variant or spelling, the common origin of the Keighry surname can be traced back to ancient Ireland.
Famous people with the name Keighry
- Robert Keighry: Irish actor
- Gorka Marquez: Spanish dancer and choreographer
- Ator Keighry: actor
- Sean Kieghry: Vicar of Dibley actor
- William Keighry: musician
- Phelim Keighry: actor
- Joe Keighry: Irish football player
- Kara Keane: Irish actress
- Tony Kieghry: actor
- Foster Kieghry: Irish boxer
- David Kieghry: soccer player
- Brian Kieghry: actor
- Michael Keighry: Irish musician
- Kevin Kieghry: playwright
- Peter Keighry: Irish actor
- Colm Keighry: actor
- David Kieghry: Irish film director
- Patrick Kieghry: actor
- Deirdre Kieghry: Irish TV presenter
- Christopher Kieghry: actor