Origin of the name Gallagher

The name Gallagher is an Irish name that also has a long Gaelic heritage. O Gallchobhair is the original Gaelic form of Gallagher. It was formed from the word “ gallchobhar,” that is defined as “foreign help”  or “foreign helper.” Gallagher is the fourteenth most popular name in Ireland and is more prominent in the areas of Ulster and North Connacht. It is one of the most common surnames in County Donegal and has been around since the 4^th century. In the year 2000, it was recorded as the 574^th most common names listed out of 80,000 surnames that were researched. Some of the other top places of origin of the name Gallagher include Great Britain and England.

Gallagher was common name in the middle ages but fell under several different forms of spelling of the last name since so many of the descendants were illiterate. Some of ways that the last name were spelled was “Gallagher,” “ Gallacher,” “Gallaughter,” “Gallaughor” and “Gallager. “ The family origin of Gallagher fall with the chieftan Aodh, who corresponds to English Hugh. Gallagher is also a lineal descendant of Conall Gulban who was son of the 5^th century High King and also warlord, Niall Noígíallach (or in English-otherwise known as Niall of the Nine Hostages. He was known to have brought St. Patrick to Ireland as a slave.

Because of poverty, hunger and racial discrimination like other settlers, the Gallaghers began to arrive in the United States around the 18^th century. The first Gallagher to arrive in the U.S. was Phillip Gallagher who arrived in 1776. Many more began arriving in the early 19^th century by settling in the areas of New York and Maryland. By the year 1920, the Gallaghers began living around a variety of areas in the United States. Some of the more prominent states were the Gallagher resided included: New York (18%), Pennsylvania (24%), Ohio and Illinois (6%) California (4%). All of the other states had less than 1% of Gallaghers residing.

There are also some other fun and interesting facts regarding the name of Gallagher. In the year of 1940, the normal life expectancy of a Gallagher was 40 years old. In the 1960, that figure raised ten more years to the age of 50. By the year 2000, Gallagher's life expectancy had risen to 75. Gallaghers also make up a group of veterans who served in the civil war as well. 309 Gallaghers served as Confederate soldiers, 1,614 served as Union while there was 1,923 that were combined. The most common occupations for a Gallagher to hold in the 1880's were a farmer (12%)  and a laborer (9%). Other occupations included miners, keeping house, and coal miners.