Guild of One-Name Studies
One-name studies, Genealogy
Study: Keigher
Variants: Keeher, Keher, Kehir
Category: 2 - A study where research using core genealogical datasets and transcriptions is well under way, but currently in some countries only.
DNA website: www.familytreedna.com/groups/keigher-keher-surname/about
Contact: Ms Melissa Keigher
Photo - Michael KEIGHER (1879-1950).
Son of Connor KEIGHER & Bridget FEEHELY. Photo taken circa 1945; likely at the tenant-farmland home of Sandpark in Lissacurkia, Co. Roscommon, Ireland.
Hello & welcome to the KEIGHER + variants one-name-study.
While relatively new to One-Name-Studies, I have been actively involved in KEIGHER genealogical research for just over 20 years. The research began with my own KEIGHER family line which settled Canada in the early 1950's. Unsurprisingly, due to limited/lost/destroyed Irish Catholic parish records, I hit a genealogical "brickwall" with my 2nd Great-grandfather - Connor KEIGHER, b. abt. 1841 Co. Roscommon - d. 26 July 1914, Sligo, Co. Sligo, Ireland.
In an attempt to work around this block in my research, I began the exciting and somewhat daunting task of a full family reconstruction of all the KEIGHER + variants in Ireland. I'm thrilled to say most family groupings have been identified, and work is ongoing regarding emigration and continued lines of descent worldwide: with highest density in the USA, England, Canada and Australia.
Another interest and pending project: KEIGHER surname Y-DNA study - the goal of which is to uncover the deep historical links to this unique surname.
**UPDATE (April 2022) - recent Big Y-DNA (700) test results of a proven (atDNA & traditional genealogy) direct line of descent of Connor KEIGHER (1841-1914) reveals a FT 30681 Y haplogroup - suggesting old Clan MacLaren origins (pre-surnames) and therefore migration from Scotland to Ireland and eventually Co. Roscommon. More test-takers and analysis are necessary to explore this further. Should you carry a Y-chromosome and a KEIGHER/KEHER + variant surname, please consider testing**
To join: https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/keigher-keher-surname
If you know or even think you may have a KEIGHER + variant ancestor connection, please reach out - I would very much love to hear from you.
Melissa
Dedication
I am incredibly grateful ~ indeed humbled ~ by all the kind and generous family history researchers I have met throughout my genealogical and family history journey. I dedicate this site to them, and to all new researchers that pick up the torch.
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Irish Civil Registration of Births/Marriages/Deaths research reveals the spelling KEIGHER was far more common - countrywide - with predominance in County Roscommon over that found in other Counties (see below for surname frequency data).
True variants appear to be less common with the exception of the spelling KEHER, which has continued in both Ireland, England, and the USA to present day.
Based on research, 'variants' for the surname KEIGHER seem most often related to the surname being spelled phonetically - therefore many are not true variants but rather different spellings on different documents.
As an example, one person may have KEIGHER recorded on a birth document, then later their surname recorded as KEHER on a marriage document, later as KEHIR on a Census, and lastly as KEEHER on their death registration.
Indeed, quite a few uncovered documents show multiple spellings for one person - on the very SAME document! These finding suggest to us that it is vital to keep a very open mind with regard to spelling while sleuthing for our ancestors.
The most common examples found:
Of note: There is no "K" in Irish, so one would presume the name would have been spelled with a "C" - CEHER, CEHIR, CAHER, CEIGHER, etc.
KEIGHER is an Irish patronymic surname - a surname which originated from the forename of the father or paternal line. No M'/Mc/Mac/O has been uncovered for most of the historical instances, however it is thought to have originated from (O) CAHIR/O'CATHAOIR - a historic forename. KEHER and KEHIR were later known variants.
Surname Research
As per Edward MacLYSAGHT, a leading authority of Irish surnames and one-time Chief Herald and Genealogical Officer of the Irish Office of Arms, the variants KEHIR, KEHER originated from the name CAHIR found in North Munster and East Connaught.
(O) CAHIR - Ó CATHAOIR. The name CAHIR was an old forename in Ireland. The surname is a rare Co. Clare name. Although MacCAHIR appears very frequently in such 16C records as the Fiants, these are ephemeral patronymics occurring in the Kavanagh and other great Leinster families. The prefix is O, wherever a man bore this as a hereditary surname.
Source: MacLYSAGHT, Edward. (1985) The Surnames of Ireland. 6th ed. Kildare: Irish Academic Press.
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Source: Grenham, John. (2021) Surnames. www.johngrenham.com
O'CATHAOIR - thought to come from an old personal name; predates Celtic Ireland
Source: Library Ireland. (2021) O'Cathaoir. www.libraryireland.com
Ireland - all instances of the KEIGHER surname + variants found in:
Connor KEIGHER & Bridget FEEHELY line of descent - see biography of their son Michael Keigher (click link)
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IRELAND
Please see link for documents which itemize all known Civil Registration (Births/Marriages/Deaths) in Ireland (began 1864) for all known KEIGHER surname + variants:
IRELAND - BMD - KEIGHER - Civil Registration
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CANADA
~ 6 children of Michael KEIGHER (b. 1879 - d. 1950) & his wife Catherine TIERNAN (b. 1893 - d. 1976), emigrated from Roscommon, Ireland, via England, to Canada in the early 1950's:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
~ A significant number of KEIGHER + variant individuals and families emigrated from Ireland to the USA.
Please see link for documents which itemize Births/Baptisms/Marriages/Deaths/Obituaries in USA for KEIGHER surname + variants:
USA - BMD - KEIGHER - all Ancestry.com occurances
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ENGLAND
~ research pending...will be posted here
KEIGHER + variants in Ireland
Please see Barry Griffin's wonderful Irish Surname Map - and enter KEIGHER or KEIGHER variant of interest. The map will show the distribution of the surname as per the 1901 and/or 1911 Irish Census:
Autosomal DNA studies -
Y-DNA studies -
A KEIGHER surname Group Project at FamilyTreeDNA is underway with the goal of determining KEIGHER/KEHER relationships & origin.
** Should you carry a Y-chromosome and have a KEIGHER, KEHER, or variant surname, please consider Y testing - and reach out to me for free guidance**