There are many spellings of the surname
DOUGHERTY. Regardless of which one you use there are at least a dozen
versions apart from with or without the ‘O’. All of these, however,
have their roots in the Finn River Valley, in Inishowen, in the county
of Donegal. It is it is believed to be one of the oldest hereditary
surnames, and translated from the Irish Gaelic it is commonly accepted
to mean obstructive. It is the most common name in Derry City and Co.
Donegal, Ranking fifteenth in the list of 100 most common Irish
surnames. The motto is Ar nDuthchas (for my heritage). There is much
evidence at hand show that this coat of arms can also be linked to the
MacDevitt, McDaids, McDades and the Bradleys, to name a few.
The O’Dochartaigh Clann
originated in Inishowen and got their name from Dochartach, son and heir
of Maongal, the grandson of Fianan, Lord of Inishowen, was the third son
of Ceannfaola, prince of Tir Conaill, and the twelfth in lineal descent
from Conall Gulban.