Surname Toohey - Meaning and Origin
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Toohey: What does the surname Toohey mean?
Toohey is an Irish surname, derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Tuathaigh." This name can be loosely translated to mean "descendant of the ruler" or "descendant of the chieftain." The MacToohey family, from which those bearing this surname descend, were historically a powerful family in Ireland. The surname is predominantly found in County Galway and County Clare in the province of Connacht, located on the Western part of Ireland. Like many Irish surnames, Toohey has multiple spelling variations including Tuohey, O'Toohey, and Twohey, among others. Due to migration and the anglicization of Irish names, Toohey can be found in many countries around the world today.
Order DNA origin analysisToohey: Where does the name Toohey come from?
The last name Toohey is most commonly found in English-speaking countries such as Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is especially popular in Ireland, where it is ranked as the 416th most common surname in the country. In the United States, it can be found in many states, but is most prevalent in Massachusetts, where it is ranked the 595th most common surname. It is also quite common in the United Kingdom, where it is ranked the 4,497th most common surname.
The origin of the Toohey surname is Irish in origin, and is derived from the Gaelic word "O Tuathaidh" meaning "descendent of Tuathaigh" - a personal name based on the Old Irish word "tuathach", meaning "warrior". It is believed to have first appeared in County Wexford, Ireland in the mid 1400s.
Today, the Toohey name is most commonly found among Irish and American Catholic families, and its usage is likely to increase in the future as more families discover its Irish heritage. Examples of famous Tooheys include American Roman Catholic bishops John B. Toohey and Richard G. Toohey, and Australian actress Bronte Toohey.
Variations of the surname Toohey
The Toohey surname can have many variations in spelling and surnames of the same origin. Some of the more common spellings and variants include: Tohill, Tuohy, Tuohey, Tuhey, Towey, Towie, Towey, Towey, Tahey, Toohill, Towhead, and Tuohill.
One way to trace the origin of the Toohey surname is by breaking it down to its root words. In this case, Toohey is derived from the Irish Gaelic first name, Tuathal. The meaning of Tuathal is "Leader of the People" and was used as a byname, indicating someone was chieftain of a clan.
The Toohey surname is most commonly found in the Irish counties of Dublin, Longford, Galway, and Roscommon, although it can be found across Ireland. Its prevalence in Ireland is likely due to the popularity of Tuathal.
Over time, many different variations of the Toohey surname were created, often by adding, deleting, or substituting certain letters. These spellings can be found in various records, such as land grants, court documents, and parish registers.
Since the Toohey surname has been used since the Middle Ages, its variants and spellings may have become diluted over the centuries. For someone researching their Toohey ancestry, it is important to investigate all the possible variants of the surname and its variants. By doing so, one can get a better idea of which part of Ireland the Toohey family originally came from and learn about their ancestors.
Famous people with the name Toohey
- Kevin Toohey: Australian vocal coach and former contestant on The Voice Australia.
- Shane Toohey: Former Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Joe Toohey: Former American football player who attended The University of Tennessee.
- Tim Toohey: Science fiction writer and former president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
- Jerry Toohey: Australian artist, printmaker and curator.
- Sean Toohey:Former professional snowboarder.
- Sharon Toohey: Award-winning Australian sculptor, installation artist, and ceramicist.
- Anthony Toohey: Director and producer currently working in the advertising industry.
- Paul Toohey: Australian journalist and writer.
- Michael Toohey: Australian rugby league international.