| ![Show Contents]() O'Leahy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
Ireland
Etymology of O'LeahyWhat does the name O'Leahy mean? While many of Irish names are quite familiar to most, their original Gaelic forms are often forgotten and mysterious. The original Gaelic form of the name O'Leahy is Ó Laochdha, which is derived from the word laochdha, which means heroic. 1 Early Origins of the O'Leahy familyThe surname O'Leahy was first found in County Tipperary (Irish: Thiobraid Árann), established in the 13th century in South-central Ireland, in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, and were descended from the tribe of Uaithne. Early History of the O'Leahy familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Leahy research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1270, 1420 and 1641 are included under the topic Early O'Leahy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. O'Leahy Spelling VariationsThe scribes and church officials of the Middle Ages who recorded names in official documents spelled the names as they sounded. This led to the problem of one name being recorded under several different variations and thus resembling more than one person. Among the many spelling variations of the surname O'Leahy that are preserved in archival documents of this era include Leahy, Leahey, Leghe, Lahey, Lahy, O'Leahy and others. Early Notables of the O'Leahy familyMore information is included under the topic Early O'Leahy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the O'Leahy familyIrish emigration to North America began modestly in the late 18th century. At this time, Irish families made the journey to British North America and the United States by choice and after careful consideration: they were primarily in search of a suitably large stretch of land to call their own. This pattern would change most dramatically during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. For example, the years 1825-1845 saw approximately 450,000 heading to British North America and 400,000 to the United States, but in 1847, at the height of the famine, it is estimated that more than 104,000 Irish immigrants went to British North America and more than 119,000 to the United States. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many early immigrants bearing the name O'Leahy: Arthur Lahey settled in Virginia in 1649; Andrew, Dennis, James, Patrick Lahey all landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1833 and 1868; James, Thomas, and William Lahey settled in Boston Massachusetts between 1848 and 1849.
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Tout vient de dieu
Motto Translation: All comes from God.
- MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
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