Surname O'Grady - Meaning and Origin
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O'Grady: What does the surname O'Grady mean?
The surname O'Grady is of Irish origin, and is the anglicised form of the Gaelic ‘O Grádaigh’, meaning ‘Descendant of Grádaigh’. Grádaigh is an ancient personal name composed of two elements – ‘grád’, meaning illustrious, and ‘in hoc signo vinces’, meaning ‘in this sign you will conquer’.
The O'Grady family originated in the province of Munster, particularly in counties Clare and Tipperary. In ancient Ireland, the 'Caomhainn' family was the ruling Gaelic family in Munster and they would have borne the surname O'Grádaigh. Throughout the Middle Ages, the O'Gradys prospered and members of the clan became noted in the annals of Irish history. Early members include Toirdhealbhach Ua Grádaigh, who was one of the Justiciar of Thomond in the 12th century and by the 15th century the clan had become one of the most powerful in Munster.
The O'Grady surname is still present throughout Ireland today, as well as parts of the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and Canada. It is hard to trace the exact origin of the name, but it’s clear that the name O'Grady has been associated with Irish clans for centuries, and can be a proud symbol of one's Irish heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisO'Grady: Where does the name O'Grady come from?
The last name O'Grady is most commonly found today in Ireland and areas with large Irish diasporas, such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. O'Grady is an Irish surname deriving from the Gaelic "Ó Grádaigh," which translates to "male descendant of Grádaigh," a personal name composed of the elements "grúadach," which refers to a superstitious, awe-inspiring person, and "cath," which means war or battle.
In Ireland, the O'Grady surname is concentrated the most in the southwest of the country, particularly in the Counties of Kerry, Limerick, and Cork. Further east, the surname is also common in Dublin County, home to the nation's capital and the O'Grady capital of Dublin.
In the United States, the highest concentration of O'Grady's is found in New York. The exact number is difficult to determine as the name has been Americanized with various spellings over the years, as well as the adoption of the hyphenated name Grady.
In Canada, the highest concentration of O'Grady's is found in Ontario. The population is estimated at around 10,000, with the city of Toronto boasting one of the highest concentrations of O'Grady's in Canada.
Finally, in the United Kingdom, the highest concentration of O'Grady's is found in England, with the city of London home to the highest concentration of O'Grady's in the country. The exact number of O'Gradys in the UK is unknown, as it is likely a combination of those who migrated from Ireland, to those with native British backgrounds.
Variations of the surname O'Grady
The surname O’Grady is an Anglicized version of the Irish surname “Ó Grádaigh” which originated in County Clare in the Highlands of Ireland. The surname dates back to the 5th century and is of Gaelic origin. The name derives from the Irish language root “grádha” which means “love” or “noble”.
The spelling of O'Grady varies across a range of countries, including Ireland, Scotland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, France, and Canada. The most common spellings are as follows: O’Grady, O'Grady, O Grady, Ogradi, Gradie, and Gradia.
In Irish the name is written “Ó Grádaigh”, and can also shortened to Ó G&aacutre;daigh. Other spelling variants include Gradaigh, Graddy, Gradi, and Grady.
Surnames related to O'Grady are also seen, such as Blackady, Bredy, Bravand, Brazil, Bravo, Broidy, Broodish, and Brady, among others.
The O'Grady family is a very old and distinguished one, and across the centuries there have been many variant spellings and associations of the name. An important member of the O’Grady family was Robert Savage O’Grady who was a High Commissioner of Ireland from 1919 to 1922 and served as a Senator in the Free Irish State from 1922 to 1925.
Famous people with the name O'Grady
- Ryan O’Grady: professional soccer player FC Kaiserslautern U19
- Nathaniel O’Grady: rugby union player for the Scotland National Team
- Patrick O’Grady: American actor, writer, and musician
- Bill O’Grady: analyst for “The Street” and CNBC
- Kirsten O’Grady: professional basketball player
- James O’Grady: professional boxer from Australia
- Michael O’Grady: professional actor
- Raechel O’Grady: professional surfer and model
- Bridget O’Grady: professional golf player
- Patrick O’Grady: stage and film actor
- Darragh O’Grady: singer-songwriter
- Bob O’Grady: actor and broadcaster
- John O’Grady: novelist
- Dani O’Grady: singer and songwriter
- Ruth O’Grady: musician and producer
- Moira O’Grady: transplant recipient and activist
- Sean O’Grady: former boxer and television commentator
- Maria O’Grady: Irish actress
- Jeff O’Grady: designer
- Melissa O’Grady: author and speaker