Donahue is the Americanized version of Irish surname Donohoe, which, in turn, is an Anglicized version of the ancient Irish name "Donnchadh" (sometimes "Donncha"). Donncha was a common “first name” in 9th Century Ireland, and when the use of surnames became more common in Ireland around the 10th Century, many people looked to a respected common ancestor to form a surname. The ancestors of the modern Donahues took the name ''O’Donnchadha'', meaning "the son of Donnacha" or "of the line of Donnacha". The modern Donahues are descended from one of at least eight unrelated Donnachas, each of whose descendants adopted the surname O’Donnchadha. There are eight known

O'Donoghue Donoghue or O'Donoghue is an anglicized form of the Irish language surname Ó Donnchadha or Ó Donnchú. Etymology The name means "descendant of Donnchadh", a personal name composed of the elements ''donn'' "brown-haired an and ''cath'' "battle" ...

tribal areas in Ireland; in Munster the areas of Tipperary, Cork and Kerry, then there are Kilkenny, Wicklow, Dublin and Meath in Leinster and in Connaught there are Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Cavan. Considerable migration took place over the centuries and family groups took root in many other counties (e.g. Clare, Limerick, Waterford, Roscommon, and others), which would today be recognised as their areas of origin. The Donohoes of the ancient Kingdom of Breifne, centered in modern-day

County Cavan County Cavan ( ; gle, Contae an Chabháin) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of the Border Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is base ...

, are genetically linked to 4th-century Irish warlord Niall of the Nine Hostages. When the name O’Donnchadha became Anglicized, at least 30 different spellings developed in Ireland, but by the 19th century the most common spelling was "Donohoe." Of 2,800 families reporting variations of the name at the time of Griffith's Valuation (1847–1864), 2,483, or 88%, were listed as “Donohoe.” None were listed as “Donahue.” The name distribution geographically during this same period reflects that there were significant clusters of Donohoes found in various parts of Ireland, including County Cavan, County Cork, County Galway, and County Kerry. The name Donahue may refer to one of several people: *

Ann Donahue Ann Donahue is a prominent television writer. She along with Carol Mendelsohn and Anthony E. Zuiker created the successful ''CSI'' franchise which includes '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', '' CSI: Miami'', '' CSI: NY'', and '' CSI: Cyber ...

(born 1955), American television writer *

Archie Donahue Archie Glenn Donahue (October 24, 1917 – July 30, 2007) was a decorated American combat pilot and a United States Marine Corps fighter ace during World War II. He shot down a total of 14 Japanese planes during the war, including five in a single ...

(1917–2007), American Marine flying ace during World War II *

Art Donahue Arthur Gerald Donahue, (29 January 1913 – 11 September 1942) was an American fighter pilot who volunteered to fly for the British Royal Air Force in World War II. He was one of 11 American pilots who flew with RAF Fighter Command between 10 Ju ...

(1913–1942), American pilot who flew for the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain *

Chris Donahue Chris Donahue (born John Christopher Donahue) is an American film and television producer. He began his career as a producer in television news and documentaries, then transitioned to narrative film and television at the American Film Institute ...

(born 1969), American general * Cornelius Donahue (1850–1878), American Old West outlaw * Dylan Donahue (born 1992), American football player * Edward Donahue, American college sports coach *

Elinor Donahue Elinor Donahue (born Mary Eleanor Donahue, April 19, 1937) is an American actress, best known today for playing the role of Betty Anderson, the eldest child of Jim and Margaret Anderson on the 1950s American sitcom ''Father Knows Best''. Early ...

(born 1937), American actress *

Heather Donahue Rei Hance (born Heather Donahue; December 22, 1974) is an American writer, businesswoman, and retired actress. She is known for her roles as Heather in the 1999 film ''The Blair Witch Project'' and Mary Crawford in the miniseries '' Taken.'' Hanc ...

(born 1974), American actress *

Jack Donahue John Donahue (c. 1806 – 1 September 1830), also spelled Donohoe, and known as Jack Donahue and Bold Jack Donahue, was an Irish-born bushranger in Australia between 1825 and 1830. He became part of the notorious "Wild Colonial Boys". Early l ...

(1804–1830), Australian outlaw *

Jerry Donahue Jerry Donahue (born September 24, 1946, Manhattan, New York City) is an American guitarist and producer primarily known for his work in the British folk rock scene as a member of Fotheringay and Fairport Convention as well as being a member of ...

(born 1946), American guitarist *

Jiggs Donahue John Augustine Donahue (July 13, 1879 – July 19, 1913) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and catcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers / Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox an ...

(1879–1913), American baseball player *

Jim Donahue James Augustus Donahue (January 8, 1862 – April 19, 1935) was an American Major League Baseball player from Lockport, Illinois who played his entire career in the American Association from through . Career Donahue made his Major League deb ...

(1862–1935), American baseball player *

John Donahue (baseball) John Frederick Donahue ("Jiggs") (April 19, 1894 – October 3, 1949) was a right fielder in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the 1923 season. Listed at , 170 lb., Donahue was a switch-hitter and threw ...

, American baseball player * John F. "Jack" Donahue, American founder of Federated Investors *

Jonathan Donahue Jonathan Daniel Donahue (born May 6, 1966) is an American rock musician. He is best known as the frontman and a founding member of Mercury Rev, with whom he has released nine studio albums since 1991. He is also a former member of The Flaming Lips ...

, American rock guitarist *

Joseph Donahue Joseph Donahue (born 1954) is an American poet, critic, and editor. Born in Dallas, Texas and growing up in Lowell, Massachusetts, Donahue attended Dartmouth College for his undergraduate degree and went on to Columbia University and lived for ma ...

(born 1954), American poet *

Joseph Patrick Donahue Joseph Patrick Donahue (November 6, 1870 – April 26, 1959) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York from 1945 to 1959. Biography Born in New York City, Joseph Donahue was ...

(1870–1959), American Catholic bishop *

Laura Kent Donahue Laura Kent Donahue (born April 22, 1949) was an American businesswoman and politician. She served as a Republican member of the Illinois Senate from 1981 to 2003. Born in Quincy, Illinois, Donahue received a Bachelor of Science from Stephens Co ...

(born 1949), American politician *

Megan Donahue Megan Donahue is an American astronomer who studies galaxies and galaxy clusters. She is a professor of physics and astrophysics at Michigan State University, and the president of the American Astronomical Society for the 2018–2020 term. Edu ...

, American astronomer *

Mike Donahue Michael Joseph "Iron Mike" Donahue (June 14, 1876 – December 11, 1960) was an American football player, coach of football, basketball, baseball, tennis, track, soccer, and golf, and a college athletics administrator. He served as the head fo ...

(1871–1960), American athlete and football coach *

Pat Donahue Patrick William Donahue (November 8, 1884 – January 31, 1966) was an American professional baseball player who was a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He started playing professional baseball in 1902 in the minor leagues when he was only ...

(1884–1966), American baseball player *

Patty Donahue Patricia Jean Donahue (March 29, 1956 – December 9, 1996) was the lead singer of the 1980s new wave group the Waitresses. She is best known for the band’s singles " I Know What Boys Like" and "Christmas Wrapping". Early life Patricia Jean ...

(1956–1996), American New Wave singer *

Phil Donahue Phillip John Donahue (born December 21, 1935) is an American media personality, writer, film producer and the creator and host of ''The Phil Donahue Show''. The television program, later known simply as ''Donahue'', was the first talk show forma ...

(born 1935), American talk show host * Francis Rostell "Red" Donahue (1873–1913), American baseball player *

Sam Donahue Samuel Koontz Donahue (March 18, 1918 – March 22, 1974) was an American jazz saxophonist, trumpeter, and musical arranger. He performed with Gene Krupa, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Billy May, Woody Herman, and Stan Kenton. Biography Donahue ...

(1918–1974), American saxophonist *

Terry Donahue Terrence Michael Donahue (June 24, 1944 – July 4, 2021) was an American football coach and executive. He served as the head coach at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) from 1976 to 1995, compiling a record of 151–74–8. His 15 ...

(1944–2021), American football coach and executive * Terry Donahue (baseball) (1925–2019), Canadian professional baseball player *

Tom Donahue (DJ) Tom "Big Daddy" Donahue (May 21, 1928 – April 28, 1975), was an American rock and roll radio disc jockey, record producer and concert promoter. Early life Donahue was born Thomas Francis Coman in South Bend, Indiana, United States. He was the ...

(1928–1975), American disc jockey, record producer and concert promoter *

Tom Donahue (filmmaker) Tom Donahue is an American film director and producer. His latest documentaries include '' This Changes Everything'', which he directed and produced, about systemic gender bias and discrimination against women in Hollywood and entertainment, and ...

(born 1968), American film director and producer *

Thomas Michael Donahue Thomas Michael Donahue (May 23, 1921 – October 16, 2004) was an American physicist, astronomer, and space and planetary scientist. Donahue graduated in 1942 from Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri and received in 1947 his PhD in physic ...

(1921–2004), American astronomer *

Thomas R. Donahue Thomas Reilly Donahue Jr. (September 4, 1928 – February 18, 2023) was an American trade union leader who served as Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations from 1979 to 1995, interim pre ...

(born 1928), American organized labor activist * Tim Donahue (1870–1902), American baseball player * Timothy Donahue, American executive

Other uses

Donahue, Iowa Donahue is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. The population was 335 at the 2020 census. The city has a mayor-council form of government. Education Donahue is part of the North Scott Community School District, based in nearby Eldri ...

, a small city in the United States *''

The Phil Donahue Show ''The Phil Donahue Show'', also known as ''Donahue'', is an American television talk show hosted by Phil Donahue that ran for 26 years on national television. Its run was preceded by three years of local broadcast on WLWD in Dayton, Ohio, and i ...

'', also known as ''Donahue''

Other uses

See also