The surname is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Mac Donnchadha", which means son of Donnchadh or son of Donough. The name itself consists of elements meaning "brown (donn)" or Donn “the dark one”, plus "battle (chatha)".
Various unrelated clans carrying this surname existed in Ireland, at least two in Connacht: these MacDonnchadhas were a branch of the MacDermots, the kings of Moylurg. Another McDonough clan were cadets of the O'Flaherty chiefs in Iar Connacht.
The second clan in Munster, whose chiefs held the Castle of Kanturk in County Cork, and who were known as the bards of Duhallow, were a branch of the MacCarthys going by McDonough. The name is now rare in Cork, with some of the original name holders, it is believed, changing their name to MacCarthy, although some with the original name still remain in Munster.
One explanation for the many spelling variations is that scribes and church officials frequently spelled the name as it sounded: an imprecise method at best. Understandably then, various spellings of the surname McDonough were found in the many archives researched including MacDonough, McDonogh, and many more.
Notable people with the surname
Adam McDonough (born 1985), American mixed martial artist
Aidan McDonough (born 1999), American ice hockey player
Al McDonough, Canadian ice hockey player
Alexa McDonough, Canadian politician
Ann M. McDonough (1915-1995), member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame
Ann Patrice McDonough, American figure skater
Arthur Edward McDonogh, (c. 1810 – 1852), New Zealand policeman, police magistrate, militia officer and roading supervisor.
Brendan McDonough, American soccer player
Blair McDonough, Australian actor
Bob McDonogh, American racecar driver
Brian McDonough, American physician and writer
Bridget McDonough, American businesswoman
David McDonough, New York Assemblyman
Darron McDonough, English footballer
Declan McDonogh, Irish jockey who competes in Flat racing
Denis McDonough, US Secretary of Veterans Affairs under President Joe Biden; White House Chief of Staff, Deputy National Security Advisor and National Security Council Chief of Staff under President Barack Obama.
Given name
Macdonough Craven, (1858–1919), American naval officer, engineer, and politician
Tunis Augustus Macdonough Craven (1813–1864), officer in the United States Navy
Fictional characters
Alex McDonough, lawyer in the film I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, portrayed by Jessica Biel.
Blane McDonnagh, a popular kid from a wealthy family in the film "Pretty in Pink". He falls for the protagonist, Andie (Molly Ringwald), portrayed by Andrew McCarthy.
Declan McDonough, spoiled rich kid and high school basketball star in the American science fiction television series Kyle XY, portrayed by Chris Olivero.
H.I. "Hi" McDunnough, portrayed by Nicolas Cage in the film Raising Arizona.
Jefferson "Seaplane" McDonough, pilot in the film Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its sequel, portrayed by Nick Jonas.
Detective Sergeant McDonough, police detective in the film Criminally Insane portrayed by George Buck Flower.
Detective McDonough, police detective in the film Devil's Knot, portrayed by Brian Howe.
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Eileen McDonough (1962–2012), American child actress
Elizabeth MacDonough, Parliamentarian of the United States Senate
Frank McDonough, British historian of 20th-century Germany
Fred McDonogh, Irish politician
Gabe McDonough, Canadian record producer who is the vice president music director at Leo Burnett USA
George Macdonogh, British Army general officer.
Giles MacDonogh (born 1955), British writer, historian and translator
Glen MacDonough (1870–1924), US American writer, lyricist and librettist
Gordon L. McDonough, U.S. Representative from California
Guy McDonough, Australian rock musician
Harry Macdonough, Canadian singer and recording executive
Hubie McDonough, American ice hockey player
Jack McDonough, Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne and Fitzroy in the VFL during the early 1900s
Jake McDonough, American football defensive end
James MacDonough (born 1970), American bass guitarist
James McDonogh, Irish first-class cricketer
Jenny McDonough, field hockey forward who plays for Ireland
Jimmy McDonough, American journalist and biographer
John McDonogh (1779-1850), United States entrepreneur and philanthropist, founder and namesake of McDonoghville Louisiana
John McDonogh (hurler) (1941–2012), Irish hurler who played as full-back for the Limerick senior team
John McDonough (piper), Irish piper from County Galway
John McDonough (Savannah mayor), politician and businessman from Georgia, US
John McDonough (sports executive) (born 1953), former president of the Chicago Blackhawks ice hockey team
John E. McDonough (born 1953), professor of public health at the Harvard School of Public Health
John J. McDonough (Massachusetts politician), American politician who served as a member of the Boston School Committee from 1966 to 1968 and again from 1972 to 1982
John J. McDonough (mayor), mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota
John P. McDonough (politician), American politician from Maryland
John T. McDonough, Irish born-American lawyer and politician
Kiki McDonough, British jewellery designer
Martin McDonogh (1860–1934), Irish politician
Martin McDonagh, British-Irish playwright and filmmaker
Marie McDonough (1917–2013), Australian cricketer
Mary Elizabeth McDonough, American actress
Mary ("Polly") McDonough (1783–1856), mother of Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States
Matthew McDonough, drummer for American heavy metal band Mudvayne
Megon McDonough, American folk/cabaret singer/songwriter
Neal McDonough, American actor
Pat McDonough, US Maryland politician
Patrick MacDonogh (1902–1961), Irish poet
Patrick McDonough (cyclist) (born 1961), American track cyclist
Patrick F. McDonough (fl. 1956–2001), Irish-American police officer, attorney, and politician
Patrick J. McDonough (1911–1980), American politician from Massachusetts
Paul McDonough (disambiguation), several people
Pete McDonough, San Francisco bail bondsman
Peter J. McDonough (1925–1998), American Republican Party politician from New Jersey
R. C. McDonough (1924–2018), Justice of the Montana Supreme Court
Roger I. McDonough, American judge, served on the Utah Supreme Court from 1938 to 1966
Roy McDonough, English football player and manager who holds the record for red cards in the English professional game
Ryan McDonough (disambiguation), several people
Sean McDonough, American television sportscaster
Sean Daniel (basketball) (born 1989), Israeli basketball player
Suzanne Clarke McDonough, American journalist, documentary filmmaker
Thomas Macdonough, 19th-century American naval officer
Will McDonough, American sportswriter for the Boston Globe
William McDonough, American architect and author
William Joseph McDonough, Federal Reserve Bank of New York chairman