Dempsey is an anglicised form of Ó Díomasaigh, 'descendant of Díomasach'; this personal name is the Irish adjective ''díomasach'' 'proud'. The family originated in the
Kingdom of Uí Failghe
The kingdom of Uí Fháilghe, ''Uí Failge'' (early spelling) or ''Uíbh Fhailí'' (modern spelling) () was a Gaelic-Irish kingdom which existed to 1550, the name of which (though not the territory) is preserved in the name of County Offaly ( Iris ...
.
According to John Grenham:
Another source states:
Descent
An Ó Diomasaigh genealogy records the following:
''Flann m. Máel Ruanaid m. Cellaich m. Máel Augra m. Conchobuir m. Áeda m. Tomaltajich m. Flaind m. Díumasaich m. Congaile m. Forannáin m. Congaile m. Máel h-Umai m. Cathail m. Bruidge m. Nath Í m. Rosa Failgi.''
The final person may be identical with
Failge Berraide
Failge Berraide ("Failge the Shaven"; ''fl.'' AD 507–514) was a King of the Uí Failge of what became County Offaly.
His exact identity is not known. As the eponymous ancestor of the Uí Failge he may be associated with Rus Failge, the son of ...
(fl. 507–514), a king of the Uí Failghe and of
Laigin
The Laigin, modern spelling Laighin (), were a Gaelic population group of early Ireland. They gave their name to the Kingdom of Leinster, which in the medieval era was known in Irish as ''Cóiced Laigen'', meaning "Fifth/province of the Leinster ...
descent.
A new bloodline has been recently traced to when the Dempseys came to America. When the family known as the Dempseys got off the boat, they were asked their legal names by American officials, who would put them in the American records, making them a citizen, it was misspelled Dimsey, therefore creating the Dimsey bloodline. Another group of the family came on the boat, and was correctly identified as Dempsey, leading to the American Dempsey bloodline. Similarly, Dempcy dating back to the Revolutionary War, was also a misspelling of Dempsey.
Dempseys in the annals
The Irish annals list a number of members of the family:
* 789: Áedh randfather of Máelaugraiwas slain by Óengus son of Mugrón, king of Uí Failghe, in the oratory of Kilclonfert.
* 1141: Donnchadh, son of Goll Gaibhle, i.e. Ua Conchobhair Failghe, was killed by the Uí Failghe themselves, i.e. the Clann-Maelughra.
* 1161: Domhnall, son of Conghalach, son of Cuaifne Ua Conchobhair Failghe, Tanist of Uí Failghe, was slain by the Clann-Maelughra.
* 1164: Maelseachlainn Ua Conchobhair Failghe, was slain by the Clann-Maelughra.
* 1193: Diarmait, son of Cubrogam Ua Diumasaigh, chief of Clann-Mailighra and king of Uí Failghe for a long time, died.
* 1383: Dermot O'Dempsy, Lord of Kinel-Maoilughra, was slain by the English.
* 1394: Thomas O'Dempsy, heir to the lordship of Clann-Maoilughra, was slain by the English.
Other Dempsey families
An unrelated family, rendered in Irish as Mac Diomasaigh, are found in
County Antrim
County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population o ...
and its neighbouring counties.
Bearers of the name
Notable people with the surname Dempsey include:
* Amy Dempsey (born 1963), American art historian
*
Bill Dempsey
William Brian Dempsey MBE (born 17 March 1942) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Darwin Football Club in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) and the West Perth Football Club in the Western Australian Nation ...
(born 1942), former Australian rules footballer
*
Bill Dempsey (footballer)
William Watson Dempsey (10 September 1896 – 1967) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Norwich City as an inside forward and left back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield ...
(1896–1967), English footballer
*
Candace Dempsey
Candace Dempsey is an American author, journalist and travel writer. She has written for several magazines in the United States, and is the author of ''Murder in Italy'' (2010), a study of the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher and the trials of Amand ...
, American author, journalist and travel writer
*
Cedric Dempsey
Cedric Warren Dempsey (born April 14, 1932) is a sports administrator who became the third executive director of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from 1994 to 2003. Before leaving the post in 2002, Dempsey restructured the organ ...
, former American sports executive
*
Chester Dempsey
Chester E. Dempsey (July 20, 1896 – October 4, 1969) was an American farmer and politician.
Born in the town of Merton, Wisconsin, Dempsey owned and operated a dairy farm. He served on the Waukesha County, Wisconsin Board of Supervisors and in ...
(1896–1969) American farmer and politician
*
Clint Dempsey
Clinton Drew Dempsey (; born March 9, 1983) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a forward and midfielder. During his career, he played in the Premier League for Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur and in Major League Soccer ...
(born 1983), American soccer player
*
Courtenay Dempsey
Courtenay Dempsey (born 28 August 1987) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Early life
Dempsey was born in Mount IsaDamien Dempsey
Damien Dempsey (born 9 June 1975) is an Irish singer and songwriter who mixes traditional Irish folk contemporary lyrics that deliver social and political commentaries on Irish society. Damien sings in his native, working class accent in the Eng ...
, Irish singer and songwriter
* Dan Dempsey, Australian rugby league footballer
*
Denis Dempsey
Denis Dempsey (1826 – 10 January 1896) was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Details
He was appr ...
(1826–1896), Irish soldier, recipient of the Victoria Cross
*
Donald Dempsey
Donald A. Dempsey Sr. (11 June 1932 – 27 January 2005) was an American recording executive who helped launch Ozzy Osbourne and Merle Haggard.
He would often visit his brother and sister-in-law in Connecticut, Norman Dempsey Sr and Dorothy ...
(c. 1932 – 2005), American recording executive
*
Ed Dempsey
Ed Dempsey was the head coach of the Prince George Spruce Kings of the British Columbia Hockey League. He moved to the lower-tier Spruce Kings after being dismissed as the head coach for the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League
...
, Canadian ice hockey coach
*
Frank Dempsey
James Franklin Dempsey (May 27, 1925 – June 1, 2013) was an American college and professional football player who was a linebacker and lineman in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL) for six seasons in the ...
(1925–2013), American football player
* Gary Dempsey, multiple people
* George Dempsey, multiple people
*
Girvan Dempsey
Girvan Dempsey (born 2 October 1975 in Dublin) is an Irish former rugby union footballer who played at full back for Leinster and Ireland.
Rugby career
Educated at Terenure College and the National University of Ireland, Dempsey won his first ...
(born 1975), Irish rugby union footballer
*
Henry Dempsey
The Beechcraft Model 99 is a civilian aircraft produced by Beechcraft. It is also known as the Beech 99 Airliner and the Commuter 99. The 99 is a twin-engine, unpressurized, 15 to 17 passenger seat turboprop aircraft, derived from the earlier Be ...
, pilot who survived being sucked out of an airborne Beechcraft 99 aircraft in 1987
*
Holli Dempsey
Holli Dempsey (born 11 May 1990) is an English actress and comedian. She played Vicky in Ricky Gervais’s ''DerekDerek's Ladies Kerry Godliman And Holli Dempsey'Derek's Ladies Kerry Godliman And Holli Dempsey Reveal What Kind Of 'Office' Ric ...
, British actor
*
Ian Dempsey
Ian Dempsey (born 16 January 1961) is an Irish presenter of television and breakfast radio. He is the long-running presenter of the breakfast show on Today FM, self-titled '' The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show'', which runs from 6-9 am each weekday. ...
(born 1961), Irish radio presenter
*
Jack Dempsey
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed Kid Blackie and The Manassa Mauler, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926 ...
(1895–1983), American boxer
*
Jack Dempsey (disambiguation) Jack Dempsey (1895–1983) was a heavyweight boxing champion.
Jack Dempsey may also refer to:
Sports
*Jack Dempsey (wrestler) (1920–2007), British wrestler
*Jack "Nonpareil" Dempsey (1862–1896), Irish-born middleweight boxing champion
*Jack De ...
Judy Dempsey
Judy Dempsey is an Irish journalist and international relations researcher. She is a non-resident Senior Fellow at Carnegie Europe, and has been editor-in-chief for Carnegie Europe's ''Strategic Europe'' blog. She has been a guest contributor ...
(born 1956), Irish journalist and researcher
* Julia Dempsey (known as Sister Mary Joseph Dempsey), American religious sister, nurse and hospital administrator
* Lawrence Dempsey (died 1690), an Irish soldier
*
Lorcan Dempsey
Lorcan Dempsey is a librarian who was a vice president and Chief Strategist of OCLC, where he worked for 21 years between 2001 and 2022.
He is a native of Dublin, Ireland, where he worked for some years in public libraries. He writes and talks ...
(born 1958), Irish library information expert
*
Luke Dempsey
Luke Dempsey (born 15 December 1959) is a Gaelic football manager. His managerial career began in 1994. He has managed three county teams: Westmeath, Longford and Carlow, as well as several clubs in Kildare, Westmeath and Meath.
Career
Dempsey gui ...
(born 1979/1980), Irish Gaelic football manager
* Mark Dempsey, multiple people
* Martin Dempsey (born 1952), American general, 18th chairman, US Joint Chiefs of Staff
*
Michael Dempsey
Michael Stephen Dempsey (born 29 November 1958) is an English musician and composer, who has played bass as a member of several post-punk and new wave bands, including the Cure and the Associates.
History
Early years
Dempsey was born on 29 ...
, multiple people
* Mick Dempsey, Irish Gaelic footballer
*
Miles Dempsey
General Sir Miles Christopher Dempsey, (15 December 1896 – 5 June 1969) was a senior British Army officer who served in both world wars. During the Second World War he commanded the Second Army in north west Europe. A highly professional an ...
(1896–1969), British general of World War II
* Nathan Dempsey (born 1974), Canadian ice hockey player
*
Nick Dempsey
Nicholas Charles Dempsey (born 13 August 1980 in Norwich) is a British windsurfer, who lives in Poole, Dorset. He became the first man to win three Olympics medals in windsurfing when he won silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics, adding to a silver ...
(born 1980), English windsurfer
* Nicola Dempsey (fl. 2015–), one half of comedy duo
Flo and Joan
Flo & Joan (or Flo and Joan, a name they took from their grandmother and her sister) is an English comedy music act consisting of sisters, Rosie and Nicola Dempsey. The act generally consists of comedy songs. Flo & Joan have been featured on BBC ...
*
Noel Dempsey
Noel Dempsey (born 6 January 1953) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister for Transport from 2007 to 2011, Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources from 2004 to 2007, Minister for Education and Scien ...
(born 1953), Irish politician
*
Nonpareil Dempsey
John Edward Kelly (December 15, 1862 – November 1, 1895) was an Irish-American boxer, better known as Nonpareil Jack Dempsey, who was the first holder of the World Middleweight Championship (1884–1891). He was nicknamed "Nonpareil" because ...
(1862–1895), ring name of Irish-born American boxer John Kelly
*
Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor and race car driver. He is best known for his role as neurosurgeon Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd in ''Grey's Anatomy''. He had early success as an actor, starring in a number of fi ...
(born 1966), American actor and race car driver
*
Paul Dempsey
Paul Anthony Dempsey (born 25 May 1976) is an Australian musician. He is best known as the lead singer, guitarist and principal lyricist of rock group Something for Kate. Dempsey released his debut solo album, '' Everything Is True'', on 20 A ...
(born 1976), Australian rock musician
* Ray Dempsey, Irish Gaelic footballer
*
Rey Dempsey
Rey Dempsey (born September 20, 1936) is a former American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Youngstown State University from 1973 to 1974, Southern Illinois University from 1976 to 1983, and Memphis State University—now k ...
, retired American college football coach
*
Richard Dempsey
Richard Dempsey is an English actor.
Biography
Dempsey's first role came at the age of 15, when he appeared as Peter Pevensie in the BBC's adaptation of '' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' in 1988. The following year, he appeared in the ...
(born 1974), English actor
*
Rick Dempsey
John Rikard Dempsey (born September 13, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player.Rosemary Dempsey, American feminist activist
* Rosie Dempsey (fl. 2015–), one half of comedy duo
Flo and Joan
Flo & Joan (or Flo and Joan, a name they took from their grandmother and her sister) is an English comedy music act consisting of sisters, Rosie and Nicola Dempsey. The act generally consists of comedy songs. Flo & Joan have been featured on BBC ...
Tommy Dempsey
Tommy Dempsey (born January 27, 1974) is an American college basketball coach and former head men's basketball coach at Binghamton University and Rider.
Coaching career
Dempsey began his college coaching career in 2000 as the head coach at Ke ...
, American college basketball coach
* Tony Dempsey (born 1944), Irish
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christia ...
politician, TD 2002–2007
*
Travis Demsey
Travis Demsey is an Australian musician who served as the former drummer for The Living End
The Living End are an Australian punk rockabilly band from Melbourne, formed in 1994. Since 2002, the line-up consists of Chris Cheney (vocals, guit ...
, born Travis Dempsey, Australian musician
As a given name:
* Dempsey Bob (born 1948), Canadian woodcarver
* Dempsey Burges (1751–1800), American politician, Congressman 1795–1799
* Dempsey Wilson (1927–1971), American racecar driver
* P. Dempsey Tabler (1876–1956), American actor, athlete and businessman
Fictional Characters:
* "Tank" Dempsey (born before 1917), fictional U.S Marine from ''Call of Duty: Black Opss Zombies mode
* Zach Dempsey, a character in the novel and Netflix series ''
13 Reasons Why
''13 Reasons Why'' is an American teen drama television series developed for Netflix by Brian Yorkey and based on the 2007 novel ''Thirteen Reasons Why'' by author Jay Asher. The series revolves around high school student Clay Jensen (Dylan M ...