Cavanagh or Cavanaugh is a surname of Irish origin, a variation of the Irish family surname Caomhánach.

Cavanagh and its variations are anglicisations of the Irish surname Caomhánach (Caoṁánaċ in traditional Gaelic type).^[1] The surname was first assumed by Domhnall, eldest son of the 12th century King of Leinster, Diarmait Mac Murchada in Ireland.^[2]

A considerable number of anglicised variations of Caomhánach exist, with some of the most common being: "Kavanagh", "Cavanagh", "Kavanaugh" and "Cavanaugh".^[3]

Clann Chaomhánach/Cavanagh covers the following known variations of the family name: Kavanagh, Kavanaugh, Kavanah, Kavenah, Kabana, Kavaner, Kavenaugh, Kavanacht, Kaveny, Kevane, Cavanaugh, Cavanah, Cavenah, Cavana, Cavana, Cavner, Cavenaugh, Cavender, Cavenogh, Cavnar, Cavignac, Cavanaogh, Cavanogh, Cabanah, Chaomhana, Cowand and many others...^[3][1]

List of people with the surname Cavanagh:

• Clare Cavanagh, American literary critic
• Colette Cavanagh (born 1998), Scottish footballer
• Daniel Cavanagh (born 1972), Jamie Cavanagh, and Vincent Cavanagh (born 1973), brothers in the band Anathema
• Daniel Cavanagh (bishop), Bishop of Leighlin
• Daniel Cavanagh (politician), American politician
• David Cavanagh (died 2018), Irish writer
• Dawn Cavanagh, South African women's rights activist
• Dean Cavanagh, journalist, author and screenwriter
• Diego Cavanagh (1905–1977), Argentinian Polo Player and Olympic Gold Medalist
• Frank Cavanagh, former bass player for Filter
• Hollie Cavanagh (born 1993), British singer based in the United States
• James Cavanagh (disambiguation), various people
• Jerome Cavanagh (1928–1979), American politician from Detroit, Michigan
• John Cavanagh (disambiguation), various people
• Kate Cavanagh (1951–2008), Scottish social worker
• Katy Cavanagh (born 1973), English actress
• Kit Cavanagh (died 1739), male impersonator who fought as a soldier in the 1690s
• Lucy Mary Cavanagh (1871–1936), American botanist
• Mary Cavanagh, American politician
• Megan Cavanagh (actress) (born 1960), American actress
• Michael Cavanagh (architect), Australian architect
• Michael Cavanagh (judge), American judge from Michigan
• Orfeur Cavenagh, Governor of the Straits Settlements in Singapore
• Patrick Cavanagh (died 1581), Irish Catholic martyr
• Paul Cavanagh (1888–1964), English film actor
• Peter Cavanagh (born 1981), English footballer
• Roberto Cavanagh (1914–2002), Argentinian polo player
• Sean Cavanagh (born 1983), Irish Gaelic footballer
• Terry Cavanagh (politician), Canadian politician
• Terry Cavanagh (developer), Irish video game designer
• Tim Cavanagh, comedy songwriter
• Tom Cavanagh (born 1963), Canadian actor
• Tomás Cavanagh (born 2001), Argentine footballer

List of people with the surname Cavanaugh:

• Carey Cavanaugh, former United States ambassador
• Christine Cavanaugh (1963–2014), American voice actor
• Colleen Cavanaugh, microbiologist and Edward C. Jeffrey Professor of Biology at Harvard University.
• Dan Cavanaugh, a retired American professional ice hockey player.
• Dave Cavanaugh (1919–1981), American composer and musician
• Dennis M. Cavanaugh, a United States District Judge in the District Court of New Jersey.
• Frank Cavanaugh (American football)
• Hobart Cavanaugh (1886–1950), an American character actor in films and on stage.
• James M. Cavanaugh (1823–1879), representative for Minnesota and delegate from the Territory of Montana
• Jay Cavanaugh (1949–2005), marijuana activist
• Jillian Cavanaugh, American anthropologist and academic administrator
• John Cavanaugh (baseball) (1900–1961), MLB player
• John Cavanaugh (sculptor) (1921–1985)
• John J. Cavanaugh, Roman Catholic priest and former president of the University of Notre Dame
• John J. Cavanaugh Jr. (born 1980), politician from Nebraska
• John Joseph Cavanaugh III (born 1945), politician from Nebraska
• John R. Cavanaugh (1929–2007), American priest and scholar, retired faculty member of St. John Fisher College
• Linda Cavanaugh, an award-winning newscaster for NBC affiliate KFOR-TV (channel 4), in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
• Machaela Cavanaugh, politician from Nebraska
• Matt Cavanaugh, former American football quarterback in the NFL who played from 1979 to 1991
• Michael Cavanaugh, an actor, musician and singer.
• Michael Cavanaugh, American TV and film actor, notable for 24
• Page Cavanaugh (1922–2008), American jazz and pop pianist, vocalist, and arranger
• Patrick Cavanaugh, American television actor
• Thomas Cavanaugh, American Medal of Honor recipient
• Tim Cavanaugh, American journalist and blogger, web editor of the Los Angeles Times opinion page
• Twinkle Cavanaugh, politician from Alabama

• Liam and Leanna Cavanagh, characters from Emmerdale, a British soap opera.
• Jordan Cavanaugh, character from Crossing Jordan, an American television drama.
• Toby Cavanaugh, character from Pretty Little Liars, an American television drama.
• Alicia Florrick (née Cavanaugh), character from The Good Wife, an American television drama.
• Miles Cavanaugh, character from The Edge of Night, an American television soap opera.
• Sally Ann Cavanaugh, character from Fletch, an American comedy film.
• Johnny Cavanagh, character in the story The Shepherd, by Frederick Forsyth.
• The title characters from The Cavanaughs, an American television sitcom.
• James Kavanagh, the main character in Kavanagh QC, a British television drama.
• Detective Cavanaugh, a side character in iZombie, played by Robert Salvador

• Caomhánach, about the family origins
• Kavanagh (surname)
• Kings of Leinster
• Uí Ceinnselaig

Surname list

This page lists people with the surname Cavanagh.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.