Origin of the Clohessy Clan Name

Clohessy

The name Clohessy stems from the gaelic O’Clochasaigh which is derived from the irish word Cloch, meaning stone. When the name is has the prefix as O, this means “son of” or” male descendant of” but the name lost this prefix in the 17th century. They originated from County Limerick and County Clare, the area of Ballycloghessy is named after the family. They are still dominant in these areas today and are also found in Cork and Tipperary.

Clohessy coat of arms

One of the famous Clohessy’s in Ireland is the Rugby star Peter Clohessy from County Limerick. One of the earliest recordings of the name in irish history is that of Patum Clohessy who was christened in Askeaton in County Limerick in 1859.

The Clohessy coat of arms consists of red and white meaning military strength and peace. The red belt on the crest represents military honour.

Throughout the centuries gone by surnames have continued to develop and change resulting in astounding variations of the name including Clohessey, Clohossey, Clohosey, Clohesey, Cloghesey, Cloughessy, Cloghessey, Cloghesy, Cloghossey and many more.