Dempsey
What is the origin of the last name Dempsey?
Meaning and origin
The last name Dempsey is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic surname Ó Díomasaigh, meaning "son of Diomasach." This name traces its roots to the personal name Diomasach, which refers to a "proud" or "arrogant" individual. Over time, the name has spread beyond its Irish origins and can now be found in various other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora.
The longer story
The last name "Dempsey" is of Irish origin and is primarily found in Ireland and the United States.
One of the significant facts about the Dempsey name is its Gaelic roots. The name is derived from the Gaelic surname "Ó Díomasaigh," which means "son of Duibhneach." The Gaelic prefix "Ó" indicates "descendant of," while "Díomasaigh" is believed to be derived from the personal name "Duibhneach," meaning "black one" or "swarthy."
The Dempsey surname is found predominantly in counties Kilkenny, Carlow, and Wexford in Ireland. These counties were historically part of the ancient kingdom of Leinster, which may explain the concentration of the name in this region.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
Similar spellings
#1,308
Dempsey was the 1,308th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 26,863 people, about 8.7 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Dempsey
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Dempsey is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.