Gehee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Etymology of Gehee

The surname is one of the native Irish surnames that come from the Irish Gaelic language. The original Gaelic form of the name Gehee 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.

Early Origins of the Gehee family

Early History of the Gehee family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gehee research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gehee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gehee Spelling Variations

Names from the Middle Ages demonstrate many spelling variations. This is because the recording scribe or church official often decided as to how a person's name was spelt and in what language. Research into the name Gehee revealed many variations, including Caughey, McCaughey, McGaughey, Coffee, Coffey, Coffy, O'Coffey, O'Coffy, Mulcahy, McGahey and many more.

Early Notables of the Gehee family

More information is included under the topic Early Gehee Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gehee family

During the 19th century thousands of impoverished Irish families made the long journey to British North America and the United States. These people were leaving a land that had become beset with poverty, lack of opportunity, and hunger. In North America, they hoped to find land, work, and political and religious freedoms. Although the majority of the immigrants that survived the long sea passage did make these discoveries, it was not without much perseverance and hard work: by the mid-19th century land suitable for agriculture was short supply, especially in British North America, in the east; the work available was generally low paying and physically taxing construction or factory work; and the English stereotypes concerning the Irish, although less frequent and vehement, were, nevertheless, present in the land of freedom, liberty, and equality for all men. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the Gehee family in North America: 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.