The surname is one of the native Irish surnames that come from the Irish Gaelic language. The original Gaelic form of the name Gahey is "Mac Eachaidh," from the personal name Eachaidh, which is Anglicized as Aghy. It is cognate with Eochaigh, which is Anglicized as the once-common Christian name Oghy.
Loading...
Early Origins of the Gahey family
The surname Gahey was first found in the county of Cork (Irish: Corcaigh) the ancient Kingdom of Deis Muin (Desmond), located on the southwest coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from ancient times.
Loading...
Early History of the Gahey family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gahey research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gahey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Gahey Spelling Variations
Within the archives researched, many different spelling variations of the surname Gahey were found. These included One reason for the many variations is that scribes and church officials often spelled an individual's name as it sounded. This imprecise method often led to many versions. Caughey, McCaughey, McGaughey, Coffee, Coffey, Coffy, O'Coffey, O'Coffy, Mulcahy, McGahey and many more.
Early Notables of the Gahey family
More information is included under the topic Early Gahey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Gahey family
The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the Gahey family relocated to North American shores quite early: John Caughey who settled in New York in 1845; James Coffe who settled in Boston in 1754; Bridget Coffee settled in Boston in 1849; John Coffee settled in Virginia in 1637.
Ireland
