Roots: A Look at the Laheys and the Leahys
By Kristin Romano, Editorial Assistant
April / May 2011
Have you always thought the surnames Lahey and Leahy were variations of the same name? Think again! Lahey and Leahy originate from two different Gaelic surnames. Lahey, Lahy, Lahiff, Lahiffe, Laffey, and Lahive all originate from the Gaelic surname O Laithimh, which itself is a variant of O Flaithimh. O Flaithimh derives from the Irish word flaitheamh, which means lord or ruler. By the 16th century, the name was found in Galway, Clare, Tipperary, and Kilkenny.
Leahy, Leehy, O’Leghy, and O’Leahy stem from the Gaelic surname O Laochdha. In Irish, laochdha means heroic. O Laochdha is an old Munster surname, which, by the 1890s, was found throughout Ireland. It is still most common in the counties of Munster: Counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary.
Frank Lahey, M.D. (1880-1953) founded the world-renowned Lahey Clinic in 1923, a non-profit teaching hospital of Tufts University School of Medicine. A famous surgeon, he was also a teacher and medical administrator. Lahey founded the clinic with the goal of gathering many specialties in one place, believing the best results came from a collaborative effort. Highly regarded for his extensive skill in thyroid and esophageal surgery, Lahey graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1904 and eventually became a professor of Surgery at Tufts University Medical School from 1913-1917. During World War I, he served as a major in the Army Medical Corps and director of an evacuation hospital. Ever committed to his work, he died eleven days after suffering a heart attack, right after he finished performing surgery.
John L. Lahey (b. 1946), our Irish American of the Year, has served as the President of Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT since 1987. Lahey is the Vice Chairman of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee and served as the parade’s Grand Marshal in 1997. He dedicates a great amount of his time to educating the public on the Irish famine and its historical implications.
Jim Lahey is the owner and founder of Sullivan St. Bakery and Co. in New York City. His original ambition was to become a sculptor. Lahey’s passion for art took him to Italy, where, instead, he discovered the art of bread making. He returned to New York with the goal of giving the bread of the Italian countryside a home in New York City. In 1994, he opened Sullivan St. Bakery in Soho, eventually moving to Hell’s Kitchen. The bakery has developed an impressive reputation, with over 340 of New York’s finest restaurants using Lahey’s bread. In 2009, Lahey opened his first restaurant, Co. (pronounced as “Company”) and published his first cookbook, My Bread.
Lyle Lahey is an American political cartoonist based in Wisconsin. Born in 1931, he served a tour of duty with the Army in Korea. In 1968, Lahey began to contribute political cartoons to The Brown County Chronicle. His cartoons covered local, regional and national politics, the Green Bay Packers, world events and environmental issues. From 1968 to 1976, his work appeared in the Chronicle, and from 1976 to 2005 in The Green Bay News-Chronicle, which published The Packer Chronicles in 1997, a collection of Lahey’s cartoons about the Green Bay Packers. Lahey now creates political cartoons on his website, posting three new cartoons each week.
Heroic service to one’s country has been exemplified by several Leahys. Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, United States Navy (1875-1959) was the first member of the U.S. armed forces to hold a five-star rank. His father Michael Leahy fought in the Civil War as Captain of the Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers. William Leahy served on the USS Oregon during the Spanish-American War. During World War I, he served as captain of the dispatch boat used by then-Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt. He became the Chief of Naval Operations in 1937, serving until he was retired in 1939. He was then the Governor of Puerto Rico from 1939 to 1940, and the Ambassador to Vichy France until 1942, when he came out of retirement to serve as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy. In recognition of his service, Leahy became the first Fleet Admiral (a newly created position) on December 15, 1944. During his distinguished career, he was awarded the Navy Cross, World War I Victory Medal with “Overseas” Clasp and the World War II Victory Medal. Leahy was still on active service when he died in 1959. In 1969, the USS Leahy was named after him.
Officer James Leahy was killed on September 11, 2001, trying to rescue people trapped in the World Trade Center in New York. Officer Leahy was a nine-year veteran of the New York City Police Department and at the time of his death he was assigned to the 6th Precinct. He was posthumously awarded the NYPD’s Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on that day.
Laheys and Leahys can be found throughout the world of arts and entertainment. Musician Kevin Leahy is a drummer and percussionist who has performed with artists such as Jennifer Nettles and Shawn Mullins. Leahy, the Canadian folk music group, has toured all over the world, releasing three studio albums and one live album. James Leahy is a Canadian artist who is represented in galleries in Canada, Britain and the United States. His work can be found in public and private collections.
The Laheys and the Leahys have left their unique mark on the world, and are likely to keep doing so into the future.
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The article is missing a 3rd Lahey / Leahy group. There is a bunch of Leahys in County Cavan, Ireland who were ‘Lahy’ or ‘Lahey’ from the late 1600s – then changed to ‘Leahy’ in the mid to late 1800s. They are predminantly protestant – unlike the rest of the Leahys in Tipperary, Kilkenny, Wexford etc who are almost 100% Roman Catholic. There is a family story (from a numbre of sources) that they were originally a Huguenot family called ‘De Lahay’ who fled persecution from France in he late 1500s – this would make sense given their predominantly protestant religion. I’m currently doing rersearch to gather evidence for the story. Many of the family emigrated to Australia and USA in the 1800s.
The Laheys in Newfoundland were Lahy, Lahey, Layhee, Leahey, Lahee, or Leahy depending on who was doing the recording. Most are of Irish decent and as in Ireland the name was often interchangeable. Although Newfoundland is a small island it was home to many Lahey immigrants mainly from Cork 7, Waterford 6, Kilkenny 3, Wexford 2, Tipperary 2, and Carlow 2. These early records from 1760 to 1840 are primarily found in the St John’s area, pre 1800 the Laheys were Protestant later mostly RC. They were living in Newfoundland well before the fatal famine in Ireland.
There were others like my ancestor Edward Lahey, who was married Catherine Lockier in Heart’s Content, Newfoundland, in 1816. There is no record of where he was born or indeed that he is Irish. There were other Laheys living in Newfoundland that show no country of origin other than an assumption they were of Irish decent.
There were at least six predominant Lahey families that flourished in NL. They resided in Cape Broyle, St John’s, Bell Island, Harbour Grace, Hearts Content (Hearts Desire) and Placentia Bay. Most if not all of these families are not related, that is there appears to be no family relationship on this side of the Atlantic. Now descendants of these families are found through-out Canada and the US.
As to the origin from the French Huguenot family called De Lahay I believe the correct way to go is through DNA testing. We thought in the beginning our family came from France because of the spelling Lahy. I’ve researched in Thurles, Cork, Waterford, and Wexford but so far to no avail.
I hope other Laheys worldwide will join (the Leahy Lahey Family Tree DNA project). This I feel is the only way to identify our origins.
Leonard Lahey
Where do we find the Leahy Lahey Family Tree DNA project?
Hi Sheila. We have a Leahy Genealogy and Family Research group on facebook.https://www.facebook.com/groups/1569582180020847/
My great grandmother was Margret Lahey she was born in Millbury Mass her father was Philip Lahey he was born in Ireland.My great grandmother at some point moved to Nova Scotia and she married my great grandfather William Condran there are news articles about their long marriage.
I am connected to this Nova Scotia (Dartmouth, NS) Leahey (spellings vary) family. I found your question just today so my reply may be too late. Go to the Province’s official website (Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics) and search for the birth/baptismal certificate of William Fletcher Condran and the death certificates of William Fletcher Conrad plus both William Condran and Margaret (Maggie Leahey) Condran. These are your relatives.
I hope this works for you. I can supply a little more Leahey information if you contact me.
Best wishes with your search, Ron
Hi There Ron thanks very much for your reply I will look further into this information you have provided. All the best. Darren
This is probably no help at all, but I just wanted to get on here and say the article and the comments I found very interesting I’ve always been interested in my dads side since there is so many Lahey’s out there. Our Lahey Family has been living in Cape Breton Nova Scotia for quite some time the closest relative I have found was a Thomas Lahey from Kilkenny Ireland in the 1700s.
Funny to look up information on my family name and see my family mentioned. Patricia Lahey of Heartś Desire, Newfoundland here. Both of my paternal grandparents were named Lahey but the families were unrelated this side of the pond as far as they could trace. So I am a perfect example of what you say here in your comment. We arrived in Heartś Desire in the late 1700ś according to the records. Michael his name was. We are related to Captain Antony Lahey through a great grandfather. However one of my grandmothers was English. A Harris with a Thoms for a Mama. HUGE scandal for the times. Tut Tut tut. Still talkin about it bye. 🙂
Hi
In tracing my husband’s family have found his great great grandmother was Catherin Leahy daughter of James Leahy D and Anne Langford. They emigrated to Australia in the 1860′ we think. There is family story of French connection. Would this fir in with your research?
Kind regards
Carolyn Cameron
Hi David
We are Leahys in Australia – Gundaroo,, Bungandore,, Yass all around that area of NSW
Family from Kerry
Emigration 1835
Marriage of Daniel Leahy and Hanora Cronin of Ballydrisheen Area of Kerry – RCatholic congregation Killarney
Daniel born at Glin 7-4-1807 died in Gundaroo NSW Australia 24-8-1893
Marriage 26-2-1829
3 Children arrive on the ship Rachel to Australia, Patrick, Margaret and Elizabeth
Family appears to be living in Lisavane for 3 years according to youngest baptism
Baptised is congregation Milltown
I am looking for long lost relatives who still reside Kerry, munster, milltown etc any places mentioned. I can’t seem to get beyond Daniel and Hanora and find his parents. Its all a mystery. A family member mention the Knights of Kerry where connected ( uncertain) and about a french connection (again Unsure) If you know of the family line or have any idea that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance
Hi Denise
Try joining and posting your Leahy query in Facebook group:
Leahy Genealogy & Family Research
Regards
David
Hi Denise
I’m one of the Victorian Leahy’s. My Dad, Bernard John died in 1984 ( his Dad was John Joseph Leahy. I was able to get my dads school records from Assumption College Kilmour and in one of the class records was another Leahy from NSW. This would have been about 1942 or 43. I’m guessing that would have been one of tour relatives?
How can I become a part of the leahy d n a project. My family comes from Borrisoleigh in Tipperary.
Look at the wikitree family website, they have started asking people to do a DNA to confirm the link of one family to another. But it is expensive.
http://www.wikitree.com
Hello Marya, I live in Borrisoleigh and my family goes back several 100 years here (actually Grangelough, about 6 miles outside Borrisoleigh). What info do you have about your roots in Borrisoleigh?
Tom
Tom, my Leahys came from Moycarkey which isn’t far from Borrisoleigh.
Is this site still live
I would love to be incolved in the DNA project. I was always told my family is from Dun Laighaire (sp?) and Meath. Still researching. 🙂
Have a look at the website Wikitree.com it’s a large family website which you can become a member of, they do a lot of DNA stuff all over the world. May help !
I am also curious about the different ways that Lahay has been spelled. I have seen it spelt as Lahaise, LaHaye, Lahays, and a few other ways and that was for the same family in the census could this also be a variation of Lahey? My family came into Canada around the 1770’s I think through Quebec and into Ontario late 1880’s. Or do you think the name derives from the Scottish name De Lahay? Thanks for any reply.
Just wanted to comment, My Lahey side we believe came from Ireland Waterford we think to Quebec and then Ontario. The spelling is Lahaie (French when they were in Quebec and now a French area of Ontario) Some changed back to Lahey.
I never knew there were DeLahay in Scotland, interesting.
I have recently found out that my ancestor John Lahay was born in Ireland near Waterford. He also was captured by the French in the US and brought to Canada about 1690 and remained in Quebec, perhaps your line is also related to mine but we write it Lahay with the “a” Also his parents were Thomas Lahay and Catherine Willows/Williams.
I have been doing some research about my surname (I spell it with an ‘a” as well) and have traced back to Thomas Lahay and Catherine Willows as well. From what Ive heard, their son, Jean Lahay, born in 1666 travelled to what is now Canada with Samuel de Champlain and other French explorers. Supposedly he left because of British oppression in Ireland. Your comment has helped me fill in quite a few gaps I’ve come across. From what Ive found, he married a protestant, and abjured puritanism in 1696, and was taken in war to ‘Corlar’.
Thanks a lot for filling in the gaps I had!
By the way, this is the link to the webpage I found my info about John Lahay on:https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lahaie-1
My mom was a Leahy, and in researching her genealogy I have found every possible variation of the spelling of Leahy! Unfortunately not all of my Leahy ancestors were literate, nor apparently were census takers or other record keepers. My Leahys came from Thurles region but I have Dna matches with Leahys in Limerick, Cork and Kilkenny. Your article forgot my 3rd cousin Senator Pat Leahy of Vermont. When is the Leahy clan going to plan a clan gathering? Please join the Leahy Facebook group!
I’m tracing my family tree and I am struggling to locate my great grandmother
an Ellen Leahy who my mother said, before her death, came from Killarny, but I think she came from Tipperary. She was born about 1865 and was married in England in March 1889. Any help or any assistance with information would be great.
Any Leahy info would be helpful out of Tipperary Ireland
My father’s family Leahey came from Conna, Cork Ireland with the Peter Robinson settlement to Ontario in 1823 1825-well documented by Carol Bennett. They sellted in Huntley and my branch went to Allemette Island Quebec and onto St John NB. I was curious if anyone has done their DNA for Leahey, and whether the Family Finder DNA test would be useful for connecting Leahey famiies or whether the Y DNA test is required.
I am related to Brenda Leahey Young
I am also related to Brenda Leahey Young.
Hi – I have contributed DNA to https://www.familytreedna.com – 2 Test of DNA – Y to 67 Markers. So far I’ve had no ‘matches’ with other Leahys / Lahys – the closest was an O’ Leary [now in Australia]. Unfortunately due to the cost, there is not enough people on the DNA database – so matches with ‘other’ surnames are not significant. I’m making progress though with the top of the Leahy tree in County Cavan. Get in touch if you think you have connections – leahydavid@gmail.com
Cheers
David
I have done my DNA on FTDNA and transferred to GEDmatch-autosomal DNA-female.
Interested to look for Leahey matches. Located baptism records for Leahy name in Mitchestown County Cork about 1790-1800. That family later relocated to Ontario with Peter Robinson and appeared to be cousins to our crew. There was also a LEAHEY spelling near Conna Cork where my relatives left from, in Bitway in 1766 records. We vary between Leahey and Leahy.
We are definitely Cousins
I’m trying to trace my family name called Lahive
I know he was shipped wrecked in Bantry Bay during the French Amarda in 1796.
This name may have been established e.g. Lahiff, Flahive.
Any help would be great.
Cheers Paul.
I’m a Lahive in the US…probably 4 or generations removed from Ireland…did you get a response to your inquiry?
Russ Lahive
I’m a lahive living in Liverpool my ancestors are from cork ireland
I have documented the Leahy / Lahy / Lahey family of County Cavan (and neighbouring counties) origins in a new publication available here:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8&text=Mr+David+Leahy+M.Sc&search-alias=books&field-author=Mr+David+Leahy+M.Sc&sort=relevancerank
Regards
David Leahy
My gggrandfather was James Leahy. Estimate he was born about 1800 +/-5. think he came to US about 1825-30. Married Elizabeth Conway in CT. Any possible names in your records that indicate he being a member of your family.
Mike Leahy
More than likely your you ancestor came over during the Perter Robinson Expedition in 1825. 9 ships of over 2000 irish settlers, including Leahy’s from two parts of Ireland. That is the same time my ancestor Michael Leahy brought his entire family over during this Expedition, but I cant find any information before Michael Leahy. They were on the ship Fortitude
I have taken one step further and I have checked, on the ship Brunswick a 15 year old named James Leahy son of Michael Leahy which places his birth around 1810, (not the same Michael Leahy I am from which he was from Mitchelstown and his family was on a different ship this Michael Leahy you are from came from Asphodel Twp)
James Leahy on the Brunswick is the only James Leahy from the Peter Robinson expedition of 182
There’s a clan of us Leahys out on the west coast USA. 4 generations removed from Ireland.
Where are your Leahys? My gg grandfather, Dennis came to San Jose in the 1840s.
I’ve been trying to trace my family tree, my maiden surname is Lehy.
My ggrandfather is a John David Lehy born 1872 in Ireland, who then immigrated to South Africa. I’m not sure if Lehy is another derivative of Leahy or if the surname was originally Leahy and just spelt incorrectly at some point in history
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
My spelling started we think as de lahaye.
Then Loughey then laghy then lahey then lahy then Leahy ! It basically evolved over time. Where in Ireland did he come from ? Was he Protestant or Catholic ?
Regards
David
Hi David,
Thank you for your prompt reply, unfortunately I am not sure which town/village he came from, just that it was frpm County Cork, and his father’s name was James Lehy/Leahy. I am unsure regards religion.
Best regards,
Jacky
Ok part of the Cork Leahys. They were mostly RC. They were given fishing privileges by Henry VIII for alerting the navy when the 1st Spanish armada came.
David
My great grandfather was Andrew Leahy, a house builder in Kinsale, County Cork. His wife was Margaret Burleigh, a teacher. Their son, my grandfather, was Robert Andrew Leahy, who came to Canada when he was about 15, not sure when, though probably before 1910. Is anyone related to my family?
I’ve created Cavan Leahys Facebook group, if you want to post any material or possible connections there.
David
Yes I would be interested.
Ok. Just search for Cavan Leahys on Facebook and apply to join ?
Hi David, Please may I butt-in here I may well have Leahy’s from Kinsale
, namely William Leahy who went to Cardiff to escape the Famine..my gg g/f. it was made possible because his father -also a William- was a ‘sailor’ and ?boat builder. This is the first time for me to come across this site. I wish you well with your searches Elizabeth
Hi SUSAN,
My name is Andrew Leahy, so I was interested in your post. My family originally came from Kilgarvan, Co Kerry, then moved to Ardgroom, Co Cork on the Beara peninsula. They were boat builders and moved to be close to woodland and the sea. One branch of the family went to Boston, a great grand uncle I believe.
My father moved to the UK and married my mum from Cranleigh, Surrey. So now I live between there and Ardgroom. There are very few Leahys left in this area (Beara). We are probably the smallest family on the peninsula!
Good luck with your search
Andy
I’m related to a John and Mary (Harrington) Leahy, who left Ireland in the mid-1800s. They came from Kilcatherine parish, near Eyeries on the Beara Peninsula in Co. Cork. They ended up in the US, near Minneapolis, Minnesota. My cousins met someone in that area that we think we’re related to. I forget his name at the moment.
I hail from those leahys in west Limerick/north kerry although I am told we came from east Cork originally.
I often wondered if the spelling differences reflect different pronunciations . I say LeeHee but others pronounce the same name LaaHee. Given that the name is anglised in any event it is possible that this could account for some spelling variance
People spelled it as they heard it, literacy wasn’t widespread, so few would dispute the spelling ! I’ve seen it spelled different ly in the same document !
I can trace my family back to Mitchelstown, Cork, Ireland in the late 1700s-early 1800s. they arrive in North America during the Peter Robinson Expedition and settled in Petersborough, Ontario.
Digging through records the Leahys and the same people matching birth dates and family members are often found with many spellings during the time in Canada, Leahy became Lahey Leahey Lehey, even given names are cofused in Ireland, I see some records showing Michael Leahy as Michl Leahy.
Any updates on the Leahy DNA project? I am also a Leahy, and my dad was always told he was of English decent.
I am one of many Leeheys who come from a Patrick Leehey (1792-1859) and Alice Cavanaugh (1806-1841) of the Village of O’Leehey, Parish of Vintry, County Kerry.
John Leehey (1840-1924) was one of their 5 children and he migrated to the US and to Iowa where after the Civil War and the Iowa Volunteers married Ellen (also Helen) O’Conner having 10 children.
I am coming to Ireland in September 2018 and wish to buy a Guiness for a relative or two!
Apart from the possible confused convergence of the etymologies “leader” and “heroic”, it might be said that either or both forms include both traits. A heroic leader, or a leading hero – both items on their own require the other in order to be fully true.
Canada provided a Jim Lahey who did Time a world of good. For that, we’re all grateful.
Lahive
Hello! Im MICHAEL LEAHY. I’ve always been proud of the name. ITs more common not that we have the internet. Leahy’s are all over the place. May you all marry other IRISH people and keep the bloodline in tact. PEace.
Im a Lahive living in England. Family is from cork. I find it interesting that ‘La hive’ translates to “The winter” in French. I don’t know whether this is just because somebody who knew French thought they would ‘exoticize’ Lahey, or whether the name actually has any French roots. None of the family over in Cork are your typical ‘Irish look’ and all could pass in Spain or Italy for a native. Would be interesting to hear from anyone who might have some idea.
Meant to say in County Sligo, not Cork.
Brenda Leahey Young. My Leahey relative was Patrick Leahy who came in 1823 with his wife Johanna Falvey and five children with the Peter Robinson Settlement. He left Conna, Cork and settled in Huntley, Ontario. He died in 1825, and some accounts suggest he died as a result of a conflict called the Bally ghilbin conflict in 1825. Some suggested a number of heads of household died thereafter of unusual deaths. Is anyone familiar with the area of Ireland that the Cork settlers came from? I recently found in the obituary of Patrick Leahys son in law Edward Dowling that Patrick was referred to as Captain. I believe Patrick was related to Michael Leahy of Mitchelstown Cork, and Duoro, Ontario Canada. We are showing DNA matches on the facebook Leahy Gedmatch site- Ancestry project. One of Michael’s children, William, assisted Johanna Falvey Leahy after the death of Patrick until her sons were old enough to look after the farm. My Leahy family relocated to Allemette Island, Quebec in the 1850s. Later my family moved to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. My father produced a book with 27 pages of Leahey relatives -including some stories and obituaries. C Michael Diamond wrote a lovely book on Michael Leahys family in Duoro outlining his children and their decendants. Children of the Settlers.