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O Donoghue Family History

O Donoghue Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: O'donoghue, Donoghue, O'donohue, Donohue, Donaghue, Goodhue, Donahue

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the O Donoghue family from?

You can see how O Donoghue families moved over time by selecting different census years. The O Donoghue family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most O Donoghue families were found in USA in 1880. In 1861 there was 1 O Donoghue family living in West Lothian. This was 100% of all the recorded O Donoghue's in Scotland. West Lothian had the highest population of O Donoghue families in 1861.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the O Donoghue surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1861
  • 1881
  • 1901
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What did your O Donoghue ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named O Donoghue. 30% of O Donoghue men worked as a General Labourer and 65% of O Donoghue women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named O Donoghue were Medical Practitioner and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for O Donoghue | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    30%
  • Builders Labourer
    10%
  • Minister Of Religion
    10%
  • Medical Practitioner
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    65%
  • Domestic Servant
    6%
  • Teacher
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What O Donoghue family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name O Donoghue. Like a window into their day-to-day life, O Donoghue census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for O Donoghue

Passenger Lists

There are 384 immigration records available for the last name O Donoghue. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all O Donoghue immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 91 military records available for the last name O Donoghue. For the veterans among your O Donoghue ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all O Donoghue military records

You've only scratched the surface of O Donoghue family history

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What is the average O Donoghue lifespan?

Between 1975 and 2000, in the United States, O Donoghue life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for O Donoghue in 1975 was 52, and 72 in 2000.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for O Donoghue

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your O Donoghue ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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