The Clan/Sept History

The modern English language version of "Dubh-Ghaill" in Ireland today is "Doyle", "O'Doyle" or "Dowell", "McDowell", and in Scotland it is "Dougall" or "MacDougall" (the modern Scots pronunciation is closer to the original Gaelic). In Ulster and Roscommon, these names now exist as "McDowell" and "Dowell", and are carried on by the descendants of the original immigrant Irish/Scots/Norse Galloglass mercenaries.A more complete list of surname varients include all the following: Dougall, Dowell, Doyle, O'Doyle, DubhGhaill, MacDowall, MacDowell, McDougal, McDougall, McDoughall, McDowall, McDowel, McDowell.
As early as 851 AD one DubhGilla, son of Broder, is mentioned as king of Idrone in County Carlow. From this time onwards, it is an interesting exercise to trace the development of the name in the calendars of Irish records. We instance the following as examples:- O Dowill, Dowyll, O Dowile, O Doule, O Douell, Duggal, McDuggal, McDowell, Dowell, McDowall and Dowall. All are clearly forms of "dubh-ghaill" mentioned above.