The Origins of the Doherty Name

Doherty is an Irish and Scottish Patronymic name from the Gaelic O'Dochartaigh , meaning 'descendant of Dochartach', whose name meant Unlucky or Hurtful. Variants are O'Doherty, O'Dougherty, Dougharty, Doghartie, Dogerty, Daugherty, Doggart, Dockert , and Docharty , among others.

The Bizarre Metamorphosis of an Irish Name
by Patrick Dougherty

Our Clann Research Unit has discovered over 140 ways of spelling this old Gaelic/Irish name which moved out of the Finn River valley in the late 1200's. From 1690 to the late 1820's the use of the prefix 'O' (signifying 'grandson of') was illegal for those living in Ireland, so both versions will be found.

Born at the turn of the 800's, Fiamhain had but one name. Surnames were not yet in use. He was the son of Cennfaeladh (pronounced Cenn Fala). The latter was the Prince of Tyrconnell when the year 800 dawned. Fiamhain in turn had several children, one being Maongal, who in turn had a child called Donal.

This grandson of Fiamhaim, though born with the given name Donal, earned the title "Dochartaig" due to his exploits on the battlefield. It is believed the meaning of that name is 'The Destroyer', which is hotly debated. Some experts argue that it means 'Obstructive', which again could be related to the battlefield.

Following the direct line down from Fiamhain through Dochartaig, records indicate Dochartaig's son to have been Maongall. Maongall's son was Donoch. Being the grandson of Dochartaig, Donoch took the 'O' to his surname and became the first O'Dochartaigh.

In Brehon Law, it is understood that the first to use a surname (Dochartaigh in this case) used the Grandfather's name as its 'Clann Name'. [So, the O'Dochartaighs are direct decendants of the Clann Fiamhain.] This Clann research is far from complete!

Origins:
Cennfaeladh (pronounced: cenn falla) - Prince of Tyrconnell about 800 AD
Fiamhain - early 800's
Maongal - son of Fiamhain
Donal - son of Maongal, earned the title 'Dochartaig'
Maongall - son of Dochartaig
Donoch - grandson of Dochartaig, therefore: O'Dochartaig
O'Docartaig - 890 to 1550
O'Dochartaigh - later Irish
O'Dougherty, O'Dogherty - use by Cahir Rua about 1600
O'Docherty, Docherty - Scoticized
Introduced into foreign lands as:

Daugherty - went to North America before 1800
Dougherty -majority landed in the USA after 1800
Daugheetee - out of West Virginia mountains
Darity - into the southern seaboard, USA
Dority - same name further West, USA
Daughtry - used in deep South and West, USA
Daughtrey - derivation of the previous, especially popular in Texas
Doherty - modern Anglicization, popular since 1800, found in North-central USA [and the East & West coast of Canada]
[Dogherty - found in Spain]
Dorrity - found in Derry, Cork and a few areas of the USA