Surname Mulcahy - Meaning and Origin

Mulcahy: What does the surname Mulcahy mean?

The surname Mulcahy is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic "Ó Maolchathaigh." This is a compound of two words, "Ó" meaning "descendant of," and "Maolchathaigh" being a personal name derived from "maol," meaning "bald" or "tonsured one," and "cathaigh," the genitive singular of "cathach" meaning "warlike." Thus, a rough translation of the name Mulcahy could be "descendant of the bald or tonsured one who is warlike." The name is most common in the counties of Clare, Limerick, and Tipperary in the province of Munster. Notably, the surname's spelling can vary, with alternative forms including Mulcahey, O'Mulcahy, and Mulkeehy. Despite these variations, all forms of the name retain its original Irish connotations.

Mulcahy: Where does the name Mulcahy come from?

The surname 'Mulcahy' is mainly documented in Ireland according to the coat of arms records, and it is most commonly found in the provinces of Connacht and Munster, particularly County Kerry in the south west.

Mulcahy is also a notable surname in the United States, with tens of thousands of descendants of immigrants from Ireland. The states with the most Mulcahys living there include New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts; in 2010, there were more than 17,000 individuals bearing the name across the country.

The surname Mulcahy is also very common in the United Kingdom, particularly in Northern Ireland, where it is the 50th most common surname. Scotland, England, and Wales also have significant numbers of Mulcahys present.

There are also Mulcahys living in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and several other countries, with many of them being descendants of Irish immigrants.

It is difficult to tell exact numbers as the majority of Mulcahys living in the United States were born outside the country, but estimates suggest that there are around 20,000 to 25,000 individuals bearing the name globally today.

Variations of the surname Mulcahy

The Mulcahy surname has many variants and spellings. It is also sometimes known by other surnames of the same origin.

Variants of Mulcahy include Mac Auliffe, Mac Cawill, Mac Caollaidhe, Mac Cawley, Mac Cauhill, McCahill, Colbert, Culbert, Coulbourn, and MacCawley. Other spellings of Mulcahy are Mulchay, Mulcay, Moulchay, Mallchey, and Molchay.

The surname Mulcahy is an anglicized form of Irish surname Mac Auliffe, which means 'son of Olaf.' Olaf is the Irish form of the name 'Anúlf,' which is derived from the Old Norse name 'Áleifr.' It was commonly used during the Viking invasions of Ireland in the 9th and 10th centuries.

The Mac Auliffe clan can also be found with the surnames O'Malley, O'Mally, McGill, and Gilfillan. The O'Malley surname is derived from the Irish 'O' Maoilmhiadh' and was adopted as the surname of various septs in Munster, such as those in County Cork. The O'Mally spelling is a later version of O'Malley. The McGill spelling is derived from Mac Giolfhinnein, meaning 'son of Olaffin.' The Gilfillan surname is a simplified spelling of Mac Giolfhinnein, meaning 'son of Gilafin,' or 'son of Little Olaf.'

It is important to note that there are many spellings and variants of the Mulcahy surname. It is recommended to research the different versions of the name to determine their origin.

Famous people with the name Mulcahy

• Ric Mulcahy: computer programmer, author, and speaker
• Kevin Mulcahy: professional golf player
• Pat Mulcahy: former American football player
• Tadhg Mulcahy: Irish footballer
• Arthur Mulcahy: prominent Australian politician
• Joseph Mulcahy: former commander of the Irish Army
• Brian Mulcahy: Mayor of Cork, Ireland
• Peter Mulcahy: Australian businessman
• William Mulcahy: former New Zealand diplomat
• Pat Mulcahy: American swimmer
• Mark Mulcahy: American singer-songwriter, musician, and artist
• Thomas Mulcahy: Irish cricketer
• Eileen Mulcahy: Irish poet
• Michael Mulcahy: Irish trombone player and winner of multiple awards
• Sean Mulcahy: professional basketball player
• Patrick Mulcahy: American Olympic boxer
• Martin Mulcahy: Irish football coach
• Gary Mulcahy: English footballer

Other surnames

Mulcahey