Surname:
CahillThis is an anglicized form of the Olde Gaelic name O Cathail. The Gaelic prefix 'O' indicates 'male descendant of' plus the personal name Cathal, a compound of the Celtic elements 'catu-valus' meaning 'battle powerful'. In Ireland, the name is first recorded in the early half of the 10th century (see below). The principal sept of the O'Cahills belonged to Co. Galway but by the early 13th century their place had been taken by the O' Shaughnessys. Today the name is chiefly found in the
Munster counties of
Clare, Tipperary,
Cork and
Kerry. Three townlands called Ballycahill exist in Co. Tipperary. The first element comes from 'baile', a town. Father Daniel
Cahill (1796-1864), was a schoolmaster and newspaper editor. He lectured extensively in the United States. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Flan O'
Cahill, martyred. which was dated 938 Ancient
Irish Records. during the reign of Siol Chuinn, descendants of
Conn of the Hundred
Battles. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In
England this was known as
Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling
My grandmother was a
Cahill and she pronounced the name a CARL, hence we grew up thinking our grandad
Cahill was called CARL!!!