Dempsey


Dempsey is a surname of Irish origin.

Background

Dempsey is an anglicised form of Ó Díomasaigh, 'descendant of Díomasach'; this personal name is the Irish adjective díomasach 'proud'. The family originated in the Kingdom of Uí Failghe.
According to John Grenham:
Another source states:

Descent

An Ó Diomasaigh genealogy records the following:
Flann m. Máel Ruanaid m. Cellaich m. Máel Augra m. Conchobuir m. Áeda m. Tomaltajich m. Flaind m. Díumasaich m. Congaile m. Forannáin m. Congaile m. Máel h-Umai m. Cathail m. Bruidge m. Nath Í m. Rosa Failgi.
The final person may be identical with Failge Berraide, a king of the Uí Failghe and of Laigin descent.
A new bloodline has been recently traced to when the Dempseys came to America. When the family known as the Dempseys got off the boat, they were asked their legal names by American officials, who would put them in the American records, making them a citizen, it was misspelled Dimsey, therefore creating the Dimsey bloodline. Another group of the family came on the boat, and was correctly identified as Dempsey, leading to the American Dempsey bloodline. Similarly, Dempcy dating back to the Revolutionary War, was also a misspelling of Dempsey.

Dempseys in the annals

The Irish annals list a number of members of the family:
An unrelated family, rendered in Irish as Mac Diomasaigh, are found in County Antrim and its neighbouring counties.

Bearers of the name

Notable people with the surname Dempsey include:
As a given name:
Fictional Characters: