The O'Laverty Family Name

Some records give O'Flaherty; others give O'Laverty. Both point to the same Irish family name. Surname dictionaries give the meaning as “Descendant of Flaithbheartach ("bright ruler")”.

A variant of O'Flaherty

Before spelling was fixed, O'Flaherty was also written O'Laverty. Before spelling was standardised, one family could appear under several forms. Other spellings include Flaherty and Laverty.

Heraldry and the O'Laverty name

A coat of arms belongs to a particular family line rather than to everyone named O'Laverty, so the heraldry linked to O'Flaherty is a starting point, not an automatic right.

Want more than a summary? See the O'Laverty family name pack.