Surname Moher - Meaning and Origin

Moher: What does the surname Moher mean?

The last name Moher is derived from the Irish word 'O'Mocháire' which translates as descendant of Mocháire. The name Mocháire is an old Gaelic personal name which comes from the Gaelic word ‘moch’ meaning ‘pig’, or even ‘early riser’. Family names derived from this name usually have the prefix ‘O’ added to the start, with ‘Mohere’ being the common anglicised spelling.

The oldest recorded trace of this surname is found in Donegal, Ireland, Chicago, and Baltimore, USA, with later variations also found in Scotland, England, Canada, Australia and South Africa. Originally, people of this name were thought to be descendants of The O'Rourke's, who were Kings of Breiffne ( modern day Leitrim & Cavan). This clan was also known as the Muintir Murchadha, descendants of Murchadh, the King of Leinster.

From living mainly in Northern Ireland, people of the Moher family have gone on to many places all over the world, due to reasons such as conflict, work and seeking a better life. The Moher name is found associated with both Catholic and Protestant families. Today, there is a large sense of community associated with the Moher name as family clans usually keep in contact with each other, regardless of locations.

Moher: Where does the name Moher come from?

The last name Moher is most commonly found in Ireland today. According to the Central Statistics Office of Ireland, it is the 170th most commonly occurring surname in the country. It is thought to be derived from an ancient Gaelic male name, which is associated with the Irish word, maigh, which means plain.

The earliest records of the Moher surname can be traced back to the county of Clare in the 16th century. In the centuries that followed, the name began to spread across Ireland, and increasingly appeared in other parts of the world. In the 19th century, for example, many people carrying the Moher surname moved to the United States, Australia and Canada.

In contemporary times, the majority of those with the Moher surname can be found in Ireland. Approximately 6,000 individuals bear the name, located primarily along the western and southern coast from Kerry to Kerry. Significant populations can also be found in The United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia.

Recent DNA studies suggest that many of the individuals in modern times who bear the Moher surname likely are descended from a single common ancestor. This could potentially explain why there is such a concentration of the surname in a limited geographical area in Ireland today.

Variations of the surname Moher

The surname Moher has a variety of spellings, variants, and surnames of the same origin. Moher can be spelled Mouher, Mohir, Maurer, Mauher, and the much less frequent spelling Mohor. Other surnames derived from Moher include Mayer, Mayr, Meier, and Meyer.

The Irish form of the surname Moher is usually O'Maher or O'Mulher. It is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name O'Maoghaire, which means "a descendant of the benevolent one/chief". This was the name for a powerful clan in County Mayo and on the border of Roscommon and Sligo.

Other variants of the Moher surname include Moar, Moir, Moray, More, Mores, Mower, and Moorish. Moher is also a common Jewish surname in Europe. This originated as a German name derived from the word mohr meaning "Moor".

Moher is generally thought to be a variant of the Middle English and Anglo-Saxon name Moor, which was a nickname for someone with dark skin. It has also been linked to a Dutch surname Molloy, which means a servant or a descendant of a servant of Mary.

Moher is an uncommon but widespread surname as it has been found in records in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Although its origin is varied, there is no doubt that the name Moher is a unique and interesting surname.

Famous people with the name Moher

• Justin Trudeau: Former Prime Minister of Canada
• Tom Moher: Professional ice hockey player
• David Moher: Canadian health services researcher and professor
• Sean Moher: Professional snowboarder and coach
• Chris Moher: former Senator of Canada
• Mark Moher: Singer and record producer
• Dave Moher: Financial advisor and former mayor of Cambridge, Ontario
• Bob Moher: Canadian Olympic athlete, bob sleigh
• Graham Moher: Professional Canadian Rugby Union player
• Mickey Moher: former Irish International soccer player

Other surnames

Mohers