McHugh Family Crest, Coat of Arms & McHugh Name Origin

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Origin of the Name McHugh

The ancient history of the name McHugh was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. The Gaelic surname McAodha, meaning the son of Aodh, anglicized as 'Hugh', has acquired in the process of anglicization a great number of variants. These include the name McKay, McCoy, Hughes, Hewson, Eason, McKee, and also of course, McHugh. McHugh is the form used by the Connacht sept which is of the same origin as the O'Flahertys. They were Chiefs of the territory known as 'the barony of Clare' in County Galway . In 1585 at the time of the Cromwellian settlement they were landowners in County Galway . In modern times bearers of the name are found all around that area and even beyond, as far north as Counties Leitrim and Fermanagh. Malachy McHugh, Archbishop of Tuam, 1313-1348, was of this branch of the sept. He is called Molassie McHugh in the Annals of Clonmacnois and Loche.