Donohoe or O'Donohoe is an Irish surname, reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Donnchadha ‘descendant of Donnchadh’, a personal name (sometimes Anglicized as Duncan in Scotland), composed of the elements donn = ‘brown-haired man’ or ‘chieftain’ + cath = ‘battle’.
Spelling variations (which may include an initial O' or omit it) include Donoghue, Donaghoe, Donaho, Donahoe, Donough, Donahue, Donahow, Doneghoe, Donehue, Donighue, Donoho, Donahugh, Donohough, Donohow, Donohue, Donaughue, Dunphy, Donaghie, Donaghy and many more.
First found in County Kerry, Ireland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.
The Scottish Clan Robertson, anciently known as Clann Dhònnchaidh, 'Children of Dònnchadh' or Duncan, is of separate origin.
Notable people with this relatively common surname include:
- Rory Donohoe, Irish silver smith
- Amanda Donohoe, English actress
- Elinor Donahue, Irish-American actress best known from the television shows Father Knows Best and The Andy Griffith Show
- John E. O'Donoghue, Major League Baseball pitcher
- John P. O'Donoghue, Major League Baseball pitcher
- Lowitja O'Donoghue, Aboriginal Australian civil rights activist
- Martin O'Donoghue, Irish economist and Fianna Fáil politician
- Michael O'Donoghue, Irish-American comedian, writer and occasional performer for Saturday Night Live
- Patrick O'Donoghue, Irish-born current Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Lancaster in England
- Peter O'Donoghue, herald at the College of Arms in London, England
- Peter Donohoe (disambiguation)
- Phil Donahue, Irish-American journalist and talk show host