Recorded in the spellings of Mac Keogh, Keogh, Keough, Kehoe, O' Hoey, Hoy, Haughey, Haugh, Hough, Keyho, Keyhoe and Kew , this Irish surname group originates from one 13th century Gaelic surname - Mac Eochaidh, meaning "The son of John". Of these various spellings Keogh, with Kehoe and MacKeogh are the most popular, and added together they make up the one hundred and first most popular name in the country! As Keogh, the surname is chiefly found in the province of Leinster, Keoghville in the parish of Taghmaconnell, being named after them. The spelling as Kehoe being the usual form in County Wexford, whilst O'Hoey, Hoy, Haughey and Hough are generally to be found in Ulster. The former taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland, Charles Haughey, being from a prominent republican family, who moved south after Partition in 1920. Amongst the many recordings of the surname are those of John Keogh, 1681 - 1754, on eof the early botanists, whilst Myles Keogh died at the battle of the Little Bighorn, in America, in 1876. Keogh's horse was the only survivor. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Maolmuie MacKeogh, 1534, the chief professor of poetry for the province of Leinster, during the reign of King Henry V111 of England, known as "Bluff King Hal", 1510 - 1547.

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