Caughey, MacCahey, MacCaughey, Mc Caughey, MacGahy and MacGaughey all
derive from the Gaelic Mac Eachaidh. Eachaidh is an old personal name
anglicised as Aghy. (Haughey is based on the same personal name.)
Aghy is a variant of the older personal name Oghy (Eochaidh). Other
variants of the surname are Cahey, MacAghy amd MacCaghey. MacCaughan and
MacCahon both derive from a different name, MacEachain, but many of the
name have become MacCaugheys.
All these names are virtually exclusive to Ulster but stem from
different regions. MacCaughey, Mc Caughey and MacCahey are Tyrone names
also found in Co. Antrim. Caughey is found mainly in Co. Down, where it
is most common on the Ards Peninsula, but also in Co. Antrim.
MacGahy is found mainly in counties Monaghan and Antrim and MacGaughey
in Armagh and Antrim. MacGaughan and MacCahon are from Co. Antrim and
north Co. Derry. Some of the name there claim that they were originally
O'Cahans of the Route (see Kane).
Sir Samuel McCaughey, 1835-1919, the 'Sheep King', was born near
Ballymena, Co. Antrim. He emigrated to Australia, where he rose from
being a 'jackeroo', or apprentice on a sheep station, to one of the
wealthiest men in the country, his business at one stage sheering one
million sheep a year.
Source: 'The Book of Ulster Surnames'.
MacCaughey: Three centuries ago we find it as MacCahee in the Co. Tyrone
Hearth Money Rolls. There it has remained since, as is proved by modern
birth registrations.
Source: 'More Irish Families'.
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