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O'DOHERTY Family History

This is an anglicized form of the Olde Gaelic name O'Dochartaigh, the Gaelic prefix "O" indicates "male descendant (of)", plus the personal name Dochartaigh, from "dochartach" meaning "hurtful" or "obstructive". The leading sept of the O'Dohertys (the usual anglicization of the name) belonged to County Donegal where they became Lords of Irishowen in the 14th Century. The earliest recording of the name in Ireland is 1208, the year which David O'Doherty, a chief of Cinel Conaill was killed. There is an earlier recording of the name in the Isle of Man (see below).