Meaning and origin
The last name Doherty has Gaelic origins and is commonly found in Ireland, particularly in County Donegal. It is derived from the Gaelic surname "Ó Dochartaigh," meaning "descendant of Dochartach." The Gaelic personal name Dochartach translates to "hurtful" or "obstructive," possibly indicating a warrior or strong-willed individual. Over centuries, the name has undergone various phonetic changes and spellings, eventually adopting the anglicized form "Doherty."
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.
#1,264
Doherty was the 1,264th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 27,787 people, about 9.0 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Doherty
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Doherty 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.