McDonough is an
Irish surname
In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...
.
Origins and variants
The surname is an
Anglicized
Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...
form of the
Gaelic name "Mac Donnchadha", which means son of
Donnchadh or son of Donough. The name itself consists of elements meaning "brown (donn)" or
Donn “the dark one”, plus "battle (chatha)".
Various unrelated clans carrying this surname existed in Ireland, at least two in
Connacht
Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...
: these MacDonnchadhas were a branch of the
MacDermots, the kings of Moylurg. Another McDonough clan were cadets of the
O'Flaherty chiefs in
Iar Connacht.
The second clan in
Munster
Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
, whose chiefs held the Castle of
Kanturk in County Cork, and who were known as the bards of Duhallow, were a branch of the MacCarthys going by McDonough. The name is now rare in Cork, with some of the original name holders, it is believed, changing their name to
MacCarthy, although some with the original name still remain in Munster.
One explanation for the many spelling variations is that scribes and church officials frequently spelled the name as it sounded: an imprecise method at best. Understandably then, various spellings of the surname McDonough were found in the many archives researched including
MacDonough, McDonogh, and many more.
Notable people with the surname
*
Adam McDonough (born 1985), American mixed martial artist
*
Aidan McDonough (born 1999), American ice hockey player
*
Al McDonough, Canadian ice hockey player
*
Alexa McDonough
Alexa Ann McDonough ( Shaw; August 11, 1944 – January 15, 2022) was a Canadian politician who served as leader of the New Democratic Party from 1995 to 2003. She was the first woman to lead a major, recognized political party in Nova Scotia ...
, Canadian politician
*
Ann M. McDonough (1915-1995), member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame
*
Ann Patrice McDonough, American figure skater
*
Arthur Edward McDonogh, (c. 1810 – 1852), New Zealand policeman, police magistrate, militia officer and roading supervisor.
*
Brendan McDonough, American soccer player
*
Blair McDonough, Australian actor
*
Bob McDonogh, American racecar driver
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Brian McDonough, American physician and writer
*
Bridget McDonough, American businesswoman
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David McDonough, New York Assemblyman
*
Darron McDonough, English footballer
*
Declan McDonogh, Irish jockey who competes in Flat racing
*
Denis McDonough
Denis Richard McDonough (born December 2, 1969) is an American government official who served as the 11th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden.
McDonough served in the Presidency of Barack Obam ...
, US Secretary of Veterans Affairs under President Joe Biden; White House Chief of Staff, Deputy National Security Advisor and National Security Council Chief of Staff under President Barack Obama.
*
Eileen McDonough (1962–2012), American child actress
*
Elizabeth MacDonough
Elizabeth MacDonough (born February 16, 1966) is an American lawyer and the Parliamentarian of the United States Senate since 2012. She is the first woman and Democrat to hold the position. MacDonough guided the Senate through the First impeachm ...
, Parliamentarian of the United States Senate
*
Frank McDonough, British historian of 20th-century Germany
*
Fred McDonogh, Irish politician
*
Gabe McDonough, Canadian record producer who is the vice president music director at Leo Burnett USA
*
George Macdonogh, British Army general officer.
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Giles MacDonogh (born 1955), British writer, historian and translator
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Glen MacDonough (1870–1924), US American writer, lyricist and librettist
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Gordon L. McDonough, U.S. Representative from California
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Guy McDonough, Australian rock musician
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Harry Macdonough, Canadian singer and recording executive
*
Hubie McDonough, American ice hockey player
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Jack McDonough, Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne and Fitzroy in the VFL during the early 1900s
*
Jake McDonough, American football defensive end
*
James MacDonough (born 1970), American bass guitarist
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James McDonogh, Irish first-class cricketer
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Jenny McDonough, field hockey forward who plays for Ireland
*
Jimmy McDonough, American journalist and biographer
*
John McDonogh
John McDonogh (December 29, 1779 – October 26, 1850) was an American entrepreneur whose adult life was spent in south Louisiana and later in Baltimore. He made a fortune in real estate and shipping, and as a Slavery, slave owner, he supported ...
(1779-1850), United States entrepreneur and philanthropist, founder and namesake of McDonoghville Louisiana
*
John McDonogh (hurler) (1941–2012), Irish hurler who played as full-back for the Limerick senior team
*
John McDonough (piper), Irish piper from County Galway
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John McDonough (Savannah mayor), politician and businessman from Georgia, US
*
John McDonough (sports executive) (born 1953), former president of the Chicago Blackhawks ice hockey team
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John E. McDonough (born 1953), professor of public health at the Harvard School of Public Health
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John J. McDonough (Massachusetts politician), American politician who served as a member of the Boston School Committee from 1966 to 1968 and again from 1972 to 1982
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John J. McDonough (mayor), mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota
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John P. McDonough (politician), American politician from Maryland
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John T. McDonough, Irish born-American lawyer and politician
*
Kiki McDonough, British jewellery designer
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Martin McDonogh (1860–1934), Irish politician
*
Martin McDonagh
Martin Faranan McDonagh ( ; born 26 March 1970) is a British-Irish playwright and filmmaker. He is known for his Absurdism, absurdist Black comedy, dark humour which often challenges the modern theatre aesthetic. He has won List of awards and no ...
, British-Irish playwright and filmmaker
*
Marie McDonough (1917–2013), Australian cricketer
*
Mary Elizabeth McDonough, American actress
* Mary ("Polly") McDonough (1783–1856), mother of
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. The 16th vice president, he assumed the presidency following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a South ...
, the 17th President of the United States
*
Matthew McDonough
Matthew McDonough (born March 12, 1969) is an American drummer best known as a member of the heavy metal band Mudvayne. He is the band's original drummer and has appeared and performed on every release by Mudvayne. He was also the original dr ...
, drummer for American heavy metal band Mudvayne
*
Megon McDonough, American folk/cabaret singer/songwriter
*
Neal McDonough
Neal McDonough (born February 13, 1966) is an American actor. He is known for his portrayal of Lieutenant Lynn Compton, Lynn "Buck" Compton in the HBO miniseries ''Band of Brothers (miniseries), Band of Brothers'' (2001), Deputy District Attorney ...
, American actor
*
Pat McDonough, US Maryland politician
*
Patrick MacDonogh
Patrick MacDonogh (1902–1961) was an Irish poet who published five books of poetry in his lifetime. His work is included in the Faber Book of Irish Verse.
Biography
Patrick MacDonogh was born in Dublin, one of five children. His father was ...
(1902–1961), Irish poet
*
Patrick McDonough (cyclist) (born 1961), American track cyclist
*
Patrick F. McDonough (fl. 1956–2001), Irish-American police officer, attorney, and politician
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Patrick J. McDonough (1911–1980), American politician from Massachusetts
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Paul McDonough (disambiguation), several people
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Pete McDonough, San Francisco bail bondsman
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Peter J. McDonough (1925–1998), American Republican Party politician from New Jersey
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R. C. McDonough (1924–2018), Justice of the Montana Supreme Court
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Roger I. McDonough, American judge, served on the Utah Supreme Court from 1938 to 1966
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Roy McDonough, English football player and manager who holds the record for red cards in the English professional game
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Ryan McDonough (disambiguation), several people
*
Sean McDonough
Sean McDonough (born May 13, 1962) is an American sportscaster, currently employed by ESPN and the WEEI Boston Red Sox Radio Network. McDonough has play-by-play experience for all four major professional sports leagues in the United States an ...
, American television sportscaster
*
Sean Daniel (basketball) (born 1989), Israeli basketball player
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Suzanne Clarke McDonough, American journalist, documentary filmmaker
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Thomas Macdonough, 19th-century American naval officer
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Will McDonough, American sportswriter for the ''Boston Globe''
*
William McDonough
William Andrews McDonough (born February 20, 1951) is an American architect and academic. McDonough is the founding principal of William McDonough + Partners and was the dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia''.'' He w ...
, American architect and author
*
William Joseph McDonough, Federal Reserve Bank of New York chairman
Given name
*
Macdonough Craven, (1858–1919), American naval officer, engineer, and politician
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Tunis Augustus Macdonough Craven (1813–1864), officer in the United States Navy
Fictional characters
* Alex McDonough, lawyer in the film ''
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry'', portrayed by
Jessica Biel
Jessica Claire Timberlake (née Biel ; born March 3, 1982) is an American actress. Biel began her career as a vocalist appearing in musical productions until she was cast as Mary Camden in the family drama series '' 7th Heaven'' (1996–2007 ...
.
* Blane McDonnagh, a popular kid from a wealthy family in the film "
Pretty in Pink
''Pretty in Pink'' is a 1986 American teen romantic comedy-drama film about love and social cliques in American high schools in the 1980s. The film stars Molly Ringwald, alongside Harry Dean Stanton, Jon Cryer, Annie Potts, James Spader, a ...
". He falls for the protagonist, Andie (
Molly Ringwald
Molly Kathleen Ringwald (born February 18, 1968) is an American actress, writer, and translator. She began her career as a child actress on the sitcoms ''Diff'rent Strokes'' and '' The Facts of Life'' (both 1979–1980) before being nominated for ...
), portrayed by
Andrew McCarthy.
* Declan McDonough, spoiled rich kid and high school basketball star in the American science fiction television series ''
Kyle XY
''Kyle XY'' is an American science fiction television series created by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber and produced by ABC Signature, ABC Studios. The central character is a teenage boy (Matt Dallas) who awakens naked in a forest outside Seattl ...
'', portrayed by Chris Olivero.
* H.I. "Hi" McDunnough, portrayed by
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Kim Coppola (born January 7, 1964), known professionally as Nicolas Cage, is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Nicolas Cage, various accolades, including an Academy A ...
in the film ''
Raising Arizona''.
* Jefferson "Seaplane" McDonough, pilot in the film ''
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle'' and its
sequel
A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music, or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
, portrayed by
Nick Jonas
Nicholas Jerry Jonas (born September 16, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. Jonas began acting on Broadway at the age of seven, and released his debut single in 2002; this caught the attention of Columbia Records, where Jonas ...
.
* Detective Sergeant McDonough, police detective in the film ''
Criminally Insane
The insanity defense, also known as the mental disorder defense, is an affirmative defense by excuse in a criminal case, arguing that the defendant is not responsible for their actions due to a psychiatric disease at the time of the criminal act ...
'' portrayed by
George Buck Flower
George Albert "Buck" Flower (October 28, 1937 – June 18, 2004) was an American actor, writer, producer, assistant director, production manager, and casting director. He was sometimes credited as Ernest Wall, Buck Flower, George "Buck" Flower ...
.
* Detective McDonough, police detective in the film ''
Devil's Knot'', portrayed by
Brian Howe.
References
{{surname
Surnames of Irish origin