Gallagher

Patronymic

Meaning

Descendant of Gallchobhair, meaning foreign helper or foreign warrior.

Etymology

Derived from the Irish Ó Gallchobhair, from the personal name Gallchobhair. The surname is associated with County Donegal in Ulster.

About the Gallagher Surname

Gallagher is a prominent Ulster surname with roots in County Donegal in the northwest of Ireland. The name has spread throughout the Irish diaspora and remains common in North America.

Distribution & Frequency

Estimated 135,000 bearers in the United States #328 most common surname
Rare Common

Concentrated in Ulster, particularly in County Donegal, County Derry, and County Tyrone.

Gallagher Surname Distribution

Geographic distribution based on Civil War military records.

Fewer
More

People with the Gallagher Surname