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:

According to historian C. Thomas Cairney, the O'Dempseys were one of the chiefly families of the Ui Failghe who in turn were a tribe from the Dumnonii or Laigin who were the third wave of Celts to settle in Ireland during the first century BC.

Descent

An Ó Diomasaigh genealogy records the following:

Bearers of the name

Notable people with the surname Dempsey include:

  • Amy Dempsey (born 1963), American art historian
  • Bill Dempsey (1942–2026), former Australian rules footballer
  • Bill Dempsey (footballer) (1896–1967), English footballer
  • Candace Dempsey, American author, journalist and travel writer
  • Cedric Dempsey (1932–2025), American sports executive
  • Chester Dempsey (1896–1969) American farmer and politician
  • Clint Dempsey (born 1983), American soccer player
  • Courtenay Dempsey (born 1987), Australian rules footballer
  • Damien Dempsey, Irish singer and songwriter
  • Dan Dempsey, Australian rugby league footballer
  • Denis Dempsey (1826–1896), Irish soldier, recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • Donald Dempsey (c. 1932 – 2005), American recording executive
  • Ed Dempsey, Canadian ice hockey coach
  • Frank Dempsey (1925–2013), American football player
  • Gary Dempsey, multiple people
  • George Dempsey, multiple people
  • Girvan Dempsey (born 1975), Irish rugby union footballer
  • Henry Dempsey, pilot who survived being sucked out of an airborne Beechcraft 99 aircraft in 1987
  • Holli Dempsey, British actor
  • Ian Dempsey (born 1961), Irish radio presenter
  • Jack Dempsey (1895–1983), American boxer
  • Jack Dempsey (disambiguation), other people with this name
  • James Dempsey (disambiguation), multiple people
  • Jillian Dempsey (born 1991), American ice hockey player
  • Jillian Lee Dempsey, American inorganic chemist
  • John Dempsey, multiple people
  • Judy Dempsey (born 1956), Irish journalist and researcher
  • Julia Dempsey (known as Sister Mary Joseph Dempsey), American religious sister, nurse and hospital administrator
  • Kyle Dempsey (born 1995) English footballer
  • Lawrence Dempsey (died 1690), an Irish soldier
  • Lorcan Dempsey (born 1958), Irish library information expert
  • Luke Dempsey (born 1979/1980), Irish Gaelic football manager
  • Mark Dempsey, multiple people
  • Martin Dempsey (born 1952), American general, 18th chairman, US Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • Michael Dempsey, multiple people
  • Mick Dempsey, Irish Gaelic footballer
  • Miles Dempsey (1896–1969), British general of World War II
  • Nathan Dempsey (born 1974), Canadian ice hockey player
  • Nick Dempsey (born 1980), English windsurfer
  • Nicola Dempsey (fl. 2015–), one half of comedy duo Flo and Joan
  • Noel Dempsey (born 1953), Irish politician
  • Nonpareil Dempsey (1862–1895), ring name of Irish-born American boxer John Kelly
  • Ollie Dempsey (born 2003) Australian rules footballer
  • Patrick Dempsey (born 1966), American actor and race car driver
  • Paul Dempsey (born 1976), Australian rock musician
  • Ray Dempsey, Irish Gaelic footballer
  • Rey Dempsey, retired American college football coach
  • Richard Dempsey (born 1974), English actor
  • Rick Dempsey (born 1949), retired American baseball player
  • Rosemary Dempsey, American feminist activist
  • Rosie Dempsey (fl. 2015–), one half of comedy duo Flo and Joan
  • Sandra Dempsey, Canadian playwright
  • Sandy Dempsey (1949–1975), actress
  • Shawna Dempsey, Canadian performance artist
  • S. Wallace Dempsey (1862–1949), American Republican politician, Congressman 1915–1931
  • Thomas Dempsey (disambiguation) or Tom Dempsey, multiple people
  • Tommy Dempsey, American college basketball coach
  • Tony Dempsey (politician) (born 1944), Irish Fianna Fáil politician, TD 2002–2007
  • Travis Demsey, born Travis Dempsey, Australian musician
  • Wally Dempsey (1944–2024), American football player
  • Guy Dempsey, American Historian and Author

As a given name:

  • Dempsey Bob (born 1948), Canadian woodcarver
  • Dempsey Burges (1751–1800), American politician, Congressman 1795–1799
  • Dempsey Wilson (1927–1971), American racecar driver
  • P. Dempsey Tabler (1876–1956), American actor, athlete and businessman

Fictional Characters:

  • "Tank" Dempsey (born before 1917), fictional U.S Marine from Call of Duty: Black Opss Zombies mode
  • Zach Dempsey, a character in the novel and Netflix series 13 Reasons Why

See also

  • Irish clans

References

  • Matthews, Thomas (1903) Account of the O'Dempseys, Chiefs of Clan Maliere
  • http://www.fair-trade-usa.com/dempsey-clan/history-dempsey-ireland.htm
  • http://www.henneberry.org/dunn/dempsey.htm
  • http://genforum.genealogy.com/dempsey/
  • http://boards.ancestry.netscape.com/surnames.dempsey/304.341/mb.ashx

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