KEOGH
Keogh is an Irish surname of Gaelic origin, derived from the patronymic Mac Eochaidh – literally meaning “son of Eochaidh.” The personal name Eochaidh itself is thought to arise from the ancient Irish word each, meaning “horse,” so that the surname can be understood as “son of the horseman.” Historically it arose as a patronymic name before becoming a hereditary family name used by descendants.
First recorded in the early fourteenth century, the name appears in a variety of spellings, including Mac Keogh, Keogh, Kehoe, O’Hoey, Hoy, Haughey, Haugh, Keyho and Kew. The most common forms today in Ireland are Keogh and Kehoe, together constituting over one hundred and one names in the national register of surnames.
Geographically the surname is concentrated in the province of Leinster, particularly in the counties of Wicklow, Dublin, Carlow and Wexford. In County Wexford the spelling Kehoe predominates, whereas forms such as O’Hoey, Hoy, Haughey and Hough are more common in Ulster, reflecting historical migration patterns and the partition of Ireland in 1920.
Notable individuals bearing the name include the botanist John Keogh (1681–1754), the Irish republican Charles Haughey, whose family relocated south after partition, and the American soldier Myles Keogh, who died at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. Early records also mention Maolmuie MacKeogh (1534), the chief professor of poetry in Leinster during the reign of King Henry V.
The heraldic arms associated with the Keogh family feature a silver shield – a symbol of peace and sincerity – and three red crescents, which are said to commemorate victory over the Turks during the Crusades. The family motto, Semper patriam servire praepto, translates as “Always prepared to serve one’s country.”
While the surname remains relatively uncommon outside Ireland, it is found in communities that originated from Irish emigration, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Nevertheless, its highest concentration remains within its traditional heartlands in Ireland, where the legacy of the name is still felt in local place names and family histories.
Typical given names associated with the Keogh surname
Male
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Peter
- Stephen
- Thomas
Female
- Ann
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Jane
- Kathryn
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Keough
- Kehoe
- Keoghe
- Keoghoe
- Keigh
- Keagh
- Cac
- Caca
- Cack
- Cacka
- Cag
- Caga
- Cagg
- Caggie
- Caguioa
- Caico
- Caig
- Cak
- Caka
- Cake
- Cako
- Caouki
- Caugh
- Caughie
- Cauk
- Ccok
- Coack
- Coag
- Coak
- Coake
- Coca
- Cocca
- Cocco
- Cock
- Cocke
- Cockie
- Coco
- Cocq
- Cocu
- Coek
- Cog
- Cogg
- Coghe
- Cogo
- Cogoi
- Coic
- Coica
- Cok
- Coka
- Coke
- Coku
- Coock
- Cook
- Cooke
- Cookie
- Coque
- Coqui
- Coucke
- Cough
- Coughie
- Couk
- Cuaig
- Cuc
- Cucca
- Cucco
- Cuccu
- Cuck
- Cuckoo
- Cucu
- Cugh
- Cuk
- Cuka
- Cuke
- Cuoco
- Cuoghi
- Gaag
- Gac
- Gaca
- Gacka
- Gacke
- Gacki
- Gag
- Gaga
- Gagg
- Gaggia
- Gaggie
- Gago
- Gagoo
- Gagui
- Gaig
- Gaik
- Gaiqui
- Gaka
- Gake
- Gakuo
- Gauck
- Gaugh
- Gauk
- Gauke
- Gawke
- Ghag
- Ghica
- Ghick
- Ghigo
- Ghik
- Ghika
- Ghugh
- Goagh
- Goak
- Goc
- Gock
- Gocke
- Goecke
- Goeke
- Gog
- Goga
- Gogg
- Goggi
- Gogh
- Gogo
- Gogoi
- Gogoua
- Gogu
- Goig
- Goik
- Gok
- Goka
- Goke
- Goko
- Goock
- Googh
- Gook
- Gooke
- Gouck
- Goucke
- Gough
- Gouick
- Gouk
- Gowk
- Guck
- Gug
- Guga
- Gugg
- Guggi
- Gugh
- Gugu
- Guick
- Guig
- Guiga
- Guigou
- Guigue
- Guigui
- Guk
- Guok
- Kaack
- Kaag
- Kaak
- Kaaki
- Kac
- Kaca
- Kack
- Kacka
- Kacki
- Kacou
- Kaga
- Kagg
- Kagga
- Kagho
- Kago
- Kague
- Kaig
- Kaiga
- Kaigg
- Kaigh
- Kaika
- Kaikai
- Kaiko
- Kak
- Kaka
- Kakai
- Kake
- Kakei
- Kaki
- Kakie
- Kakko
- Kako
- Kakou
- Kaku
- Kaouk
- Kauk
- Kawka
- Keack
- Keag
- Keaik
- Keaugh
- Keca
- Keck
- Keeck
- Keek
- Keg
- Kegg
- Kegge
- Keggie
- Keghoe
- Kego
- Keick
- Keig
- Keik
- Kek
- Keke
- Keki
- Kekie
- Kekkou
- Keoch
- Keoh
- Keugh
- Kiaku
- Kica
- Kick
- Kicke
- Kieck
- Kiek
- Kig
- Kigg
- Kigo
- Kik
- Kika
- Kiko
- Kiock
- Kioko
- Koak
- Koc
- Koca
- Kock
- Kocka
- Kocu
- Koeck
- Koek
- Kog
- Koga
- Kogo
- Koiak
- Koike
- Koiki
- Kok
- Koka
- Kokai
- Kokcu
- Koke
- Koki
- Kokk
- Kokka
- Kokke
- Kokko
- Koko
- Kokou
- Koku
- Kook
- Kooke
- Kouakou
- Kough
- Kouki
- Koukou
- Kowk
- Kqiku
- Kuc
- Kuca
- Kuck
- Kucko
- Kueck
- Kuek
- Kuga
- Kugg
- Kuick
- Kuik
- Kuk
- Kuka
- Kuke
- Kuki
- Kukk
- Kuku
- Kuok
- Kuqi
- Kuyk
- Quack
- Quaeck
- Quagh
- Quak
- Quake
- Quaque
- Qucue
- Queck
- Quek
- Quick
- Quicke
- Quig
- Quigg
- Quik
- Quyke
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Keogh in...
Braille
⠅⠑⠕⠛⠓
Morse
-.-.-----.....
Semaphore
There are approximately 5,823 people named Keogh in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,622nd most common surname in Britain. Around 89 in a million people in Britain are named Keogh.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Keogh
- Rob Keogh - Cricketer
- Barbara Keogh - Actress (1929 to 2005)
- Alfred Keogh - Doctor (1857 to 1936)
- Pat Keogh - Scottish football player
- Liam Keogh - Scottish football player
- Andrew Keogh - -born American librarian (1869 to 1953)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.