Gallagher (surname)

Gallagher is an Irish surname. It originates from the Irish noble Gallagher family of County Donegal, Ireland. In Ireland, the anglicized version of the name "Gallagher" is pronounced /ˈɡɒləˌhər/ in County Donegal in Ulster, while elsewhere in the country it is most frequently pronounced as /ˈɡæləˌhər/. Outside Ireland, the pronunciation is often altered to /ˈɡæləˌɡər/ in Britain and the USA. The name Gallagher is an anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Gallchobhair, Ó Gallchobhoir (or two alternative spelling forms, Ó Gallchóir and Ó Gallachóir), these being masculine forms; the corresponding feminine forms are Ní Ghallchobhair (newer forms Ní Ghallchóir and Ní Ghallachóir). At least 30 recorded alternate variants exist, including O'Gallagher, Gallacher, Gallager, Gallaher, Gallocher, Galliher, Gollaher, Gollihar and Gallahue.

The earliest recorded incidence of the name is in a fragment of a manuscript currently in the Royal Library of Brussels, which states the name "Gallchubhair". A similarly earlier mention occurs in the Annals of the Four Masters, where it is recorded that Mael Cobo Úi Gallchobhar, Abbot of Scrin Adamnain, died in 1022 AD. Gallchobhar was the one given the role of founding father of the clan at the advent of widespread surname usage in Ireland, which began around the 10th century.

As with other modern Irish last names, Ó Gallchóir similarly appears to be a conjoined compound word.

Most Gallaghers are found in the Americas, where approximately 60% of Gallaghers originate. The United States is the home to 55% of Gallaghers. Gallagher is also the most common surname in County Donegal (Dún na nGall means "fort of the foreigner"), and thus is very common in Derry, and is the fourteenth-most-common by birth records in Ireland. In the United States, it was ranked by the 2020 US Census as the 482nd most common name. According to Professor Edward MacLysaght, in the mid-20th century Gallagher was one of the most common Irish surnames, most of the recorded births being located in the northern province, Ulster, and the western province, Connacht, with the majority being recorded in the homeland of the sept—County Donegal in Ulster. In 1890 it was ranked the 12th-most-common surname in Ireland, while in 1996 it was 20th.

A

 * Aidan Gallagher, American actor
 * Alexandra Gallagher, British multidisciplinary artist
 * Ann Gallagher, politician who served in Seanad Éireann
 * Audrey Gallagher, trance singer

B

 * Benny Gallagher, Scottish singer/songwriter and member of Gallagher and Lyle
 * Bill Gallagher Sr., a New Zealand inventor of the electric fence, founder of Gallagher Group (NZ)
 * Bob Gallagher, several people
 * Brendan Gallagher, Canadian hockey player
 * Bridie Gallagher, singer
 * Bronagh Gallagher, Irish singer and actress

C

 * Cam Gallagher American baseball player
 * Catherine Gallagher, literary critic
 * Charlie Gallagher, several people
 * Colm Gallagher, Irish politician
 * Conor Gallagher, English football player
 * Conrad Gallagher, chef and businessman from Letterkenny
 * Cornelius Edward Gallagher, American politician
 * Cynthia Gallagher, American artist

D

 * Dan Gallagher, Canadian TV broadcaster
 * David Gallagher, several people named David and Dave
 * Deirdre Gallagher, Irish race walker
 * Delia Gallagher, TV journalist
 * Denis Gallagher, Irish politician
 * Dennis J. Gallagher, American politician
 * Dermot Gallagher, Irish football referee

E

 * Edward Gallagher, several people named Ed or Edward
 * Ellis Gallagher, American artist
 * Ellen Gallagher, American artist

F

 * Frank Gallagher, several people
 * Fred Gallagher, several people

G

 * Gerald Gallagher, medical doctor and British colonial administrator, of the Phoenix Islands Settlement Scheme
 * Gerry Gallagher, American footballer
 * Gino Gallagher, chief of staff of the militant revolutionary Irish National Liberation Army

H

 * Helen Gallagher, American actress
 * Helen Gallagher, Ziegfeld girl who co-founded Gallagher's Steak House
 * Harry Gallagher (1880-1975), Irish businessman and founder of Urney Chocolates
 * Hugh Gallagher, several people

J

 * Jack Gallagher, several people
 * Jackie Gallagher, male English footballer
 * James Gallagher, several people
 * Jared Gallagher, Singaporean football player
 * Jill Gallagher, Australian aboriginal worker
 * Jim Gallagher, several people
 * Jimmy Gallagher (1901–1971), Scottish-American soccer player
 * Joe Gallagher (baseball) (1914–1998), American baseball player
 * Joe Gallagher (boxing)
 * Joe Gallagher (footballer)
 * John Gallagher, several people
 * Jon Gallagher, Irish football player
 * Joseph Gallagher, Chess opening strategy theorist and one of six living Swiss chess grandmasters

K

 * Kathryn Gallagher, American singer and actress
 * Katie Gallagher, fashion designer
 * Katie Gallagher, penname of Sarah Addison Allen
 * Katy Gallagher, Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
 * Kenna Gallagher (1917–2011), British Foreign Office official and diplomat
 * Kerri Gallagher (born 1989), American middle-distance runner
 * Kevin R. Gallagher, American guitarist
 * Kim Gallagher, American track and field Olympian

L

 * Leo Anthony Gallagher Jr., better known under his stage name Gallagher (1946–2022), American comedian
 * Liam Gallagher, former lead singer of the British bands Oasis and Beady Eye
 * Louis J. Gallagher, American Jesuit, educator, writer and translator

M

 * Maggie Gallagher, American commentator
 * Mark Gallagher, guitarist of the British heavy metal band Raven
 * Matt Gallagher, several people
 * Megan Gallagher, American actress
 * Martin Gallagher, New Zealand politician
 * Michael Gallagher, several people named Michael or Mike, most notably political scientist Michael Gallagher (academic), creator of the Gallagher index
 * Mick Gallagher, musician with Ian Dury and the Blockheads

N

 * Neil Gallagher, several people
 * Noel Gallagher, former lead guitarist of Oasis and currently with Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
 * Norm Gallagher, Australian trade unionist

P

 * PJ Gallagher, several people
 * Pat Gallagher, several people named Pat or Patricia
 * Patrick Gallagher, several people named Paddy or Patrick
 * Paul Gallagher, several people
 * Peta Gallagher, Australian field hockey player
 * Peter Gallagher, several people

R

 * Raymond F. Gallagher (born 1939), New York state senator
 * Richard B. Gallagher, Scottish academic publisher
 * Richard F. Gallagher, American college basketball coach
 * Richard "Skeets" Gallagher
 * Robert Gallagher, magazine photographer
 * Rory Gallagher, Irish blues guitarist and singer

S

 * Sean Gallagher, several people
 * Shane Gallagher, guitarist with bands +44 and Mercy Killers
 * Shaun Gallagher, American philosopher
 * Stephen Gallagher, British author and screenwriter
 * Steve Gallagher, former drummer for the band Tally Hall

T

 * Teresa Gallagher, British actress
 * Tess Gallagher, American author
 * Thomas Gallagher, several people named Thomas, Tom and Tommy
 * Tim Gallagher, American ornithologist
 * Tony Gallagher (businessman) (born 1951), British billionaire property developer
 * Trace Gallagher, Fox News anchor

W

 * Wes Gallagher, American journalist and general manager of the Associated Press
 * William Gallagher, several people

Fictional characters

 * Gallagher Family (Shameless)
 * Mary Katherine Gallagher, fictional Saturday Night Live character
 * Gallagher, a playable character in the game Honkai: Star Rail