Gaelic sept

Casey

Ó Cathasaigh

Also: O'Casey

“descendant of Cathasach, 'vigilant in war'”

🏔 Cork · Corcaigh 🏔 Dublin · Baile Átha Cliath 🏔 Limerick · Luimneach

The sept's historic heartland, highlighted. People moved — a name can be found far from home.

The story

Six septs at least, from Dublin's Fingal to Cork's Mitchelstown. Seán O'Casey put the name over the door of modern drama; engineers, boxers and bishops carried it everywhere else.

Their world Around 1450 — The Gaelic Resurgence. Plague, absentee landlords and Gaelic recovery shrink English Ireland to a fortified strip around Dublin.

See them on the atlas ↗

What the name is made of

Ó Cathasaigh
Ó — descendant of (originally grandson of)
Cathasaigh — the ancestor, trade or place the name is built on

Find this form in the Irish-to-English index → · What Ó and Mac actually mean

Is Casey an Irish name?

Casey is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here.

The five answers, and why it is rarely yes or no →

From Wikipedia — “Casey (surname)”

Casey is a common variation of the Irish Gaelic Cathasaigh/Cathaiseach, meaning "vigilant" or "watchful". At least six different septs used this name, primarily in the counties of Cork and Dublin.

Read the full article ↗ · Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Neighbours — other names from the same counties

Collins · Cork, Limerick Díaz · Dublin, Cork Donovan · Cork, Limerick Hayes · Cork, Limerick Hurley · Cork, Limerick Noonan · Cork, Limerick Roche · Cork, Limerick Sheehan · Limerick, Cork Wallace · Limerick, Dublin Woulfe · Limerick, Cork Ahern · Cork Barrett · Cork Barry · Cork Buckley · Cork

Quick answers

Is Casey an Irish name?

Casey is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here. In Irish the name is Ó Cathasaigh.

What does the surname Casey mean?

Casey (Irish: Ó Cathasaigh) means “descendant of Cathasach, 'vigilant in war'”. Origin: Gaelic sept.

Where in Ireland is the surname Casey from?

The historic homeland of the Casey name is Cork, Dublin, Limerick. People moved, so the name can be found far beyond it.

What is the Irish for Casey?

Ó Cathasaigh. Related spellings: O'Casey.

Looking for the Casey family crest? Read this first — arms belong to people, not surnames, and the honest version is more interesting. Tracing Casey ancestors? The step-by-step guide.

Not your spelling? Try the full A–Z. Know more about the Casey name? Add to the story.