Gaelic sept

O'Grady

Ó Gráda

Also: Grady

“descendant of Gráda, 'noble, illustrious'”

🏔 Clare · An Clár 🏔 Galway · Gaillimh 🏔 Limerick · Luimneach Source: Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923) ↗

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

The story

A distinguished Dalcassian family, first seated in the parish of Killonasoolagh by the Fergus in south Clare, Woulfe writes. After 1318 they moved near Tomgraney, where the O'Briens gave them land across several parishes of Clare and Galway. Donogh O'Grady, 'captain of his nation', was knighted by Henry VIII in 1543, and around then the name oddly turned into Brady in English: Hugh Brady, first Protestant bishop of Meath, was his son. Woulfe says to keep them apart from the unrelated Ó Greada.

Their world In 1318 — High Tide of the Colony. The Lordship of Ireland reaches its greatest extent.

See them on the atlas ↗

What the name is made of

Ó Gráda
Ó — descendant of (originally grandson of)
Gráda — 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 O'Grady an Irish name?

O'Grady 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 →

Where the O'Grady country is

County Clare County Galway County Limerick Limerick Galway Ennis Tuam Newcastle West Ballinasloe Loughrea Athenry 13 castles in Clare 37 castles in Galway 14 castles in Limerick

Neighbours — other names from the same counties

Carmody · Clare, Limerick Cooney · Galway, Clare Creagh · Clare, Limerick Duane · Galway, Limerick Enright · Limerick, Clare Griffin · Clare, Limerick Hanrahan · Clare, Limerick Hartigan · Clare, Limerick Hassett · Clare, Limerick Hickey · Clare, Limerick Hurley · Limerick, Clare Keane · Galway, Clare Lydon · Galway, Clare Lynch · Galway, Clare

Quick answers

Is O'Grady an Irish name?

O'Grady is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here. In Irish the name is Ó Gráda.

What does the surname O'Grady mean?

O'Grady (Irish: Ó Gráda) means “descendant of Gráda, 'noble, illustrious'”. Origin: Gaelic sept.

Where in Ireland is the surname O'Grady from?

The historic homeland of the O'Grady name is Clare, Galway, Limerick. People moved, so the name can be found far beyond it.

What is the Irish for O'Grady?

Ó Gráda. Related spellings: Grady.

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

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