Surname Dorrity - Meaning and Origin

Dorrity: What does the surname Dorrity mean?

The surname Dorrity is believed to be of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Doherty," which itself originates from the Gaelic "Ó Dochartaigh". The name Ó Dochartaigh means "descendant of Dochartach", with Dochartach being an old Gaelic personal name meaning "hurtful" or "obstructive." So, the surname Dorrity can be interpreted to mean "descendant of the hurtful or obstructive one." It should be stressed though that the negative connotations of the medieval name doesn't necessarily apply to the modern bearers of the last name. The name is quite popular in the northern parts of Ireland, especially in counties such as Donegal. Variations of the name include Doherty, Dougherty, Dorty, and more. Like many Irish surnays, it was anglicized during the time of English rule and suppression of the Gaelic language and culture.

Dorrity: Where does the name Dorrity come from?

Dorrity is a rare surname and has its roots in Ireland. It is derived from the Gaelic surname "O'Dochartaigh," where "O" denotes "descendant of" and "Dochartaigh" means "hurtful" or "obstructive." This surname was Anglicized to Doherty, and variations of this name include Dorrity.

The name can be found in the northern part of Ireland, particularly in County Donegal, where the O'Dochartaigh clan had been powerful regional leaders. Today, the surname Dorrity, like many Irish surnames, can be found not only in Ireland but also in other parts of the world due to the Irish diaspora. It is common in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK, where many Irish people migrated, especially during the 19th and 20th centuries. However, the frequency of the surname Dorrity is still relatively low compared to other Irish surnames. Hence, despite its existence in several countries due to immigration, it's still considered a rare surname.

Variations of the surname Dorrity

The surname Dorrity has numerous variants, spelling and surnames of the same origin, which display the diversification of this unique surname over time and across regions. Variations include, but are not limited to, Doherty, Dougherty, O'Doherty, O'Dougherty, Docherty, and Dorty.

The surname Dorrity is of Irish origin, the anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Ó Dochartaigh" where “dochartach” means obstructive or hurtful. The Ó Dochartaigh clan was part of the northern Ui Neill, and they were primarily located in the Inishowen peninsula of County Donegal, Ireland.

The spelling variations of the surname Dorrity often occurred due to the phonetic recordings during the period before dictionaries formalized spelling. This led to a multitude of phonetic-based surname variations. The different spellings often came about when families migrated to different regions or countries, leading to further diversification of the name.

There's also a possibility of connections with the Scottish surname Docherty or Docharty, which originates from MacDochartaigh, coming from the same root "dochartach". These Scottish versions have their own variations as well, such as Dockerty and Dockarty. Therefore, both Irish and Scottish roots may contribute to the surname variations for Dorrity.

Famous people with the name Dorrity

• William Dorrity: a professional boxer from the United States
• Anne Dorrity: an American actress
• Lawrence Dorrity: a former American football player
• John Dorrity: an Irish politician and former Sinn Fein member
• Tony Dorrity: a retired American football coach
• Matt Dorrity: an American football player
• Jack Dorrity: an American sound engineer
• Bill Dorrity: an American singer-songwriter
• Virginia Dorrity: a former songwriter
• Charles Dorrity: an American sculptor

Other surnames

DorrianDorrifield