From an Irish surname which was derived from Ó Dubhghaill meaning "descendent of Dubhghall". The name Dubhghall means "dark stranger" in Gaelic. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories. Doyle is derived from the Gaelic given name “Dubhgall”. The name Dubhgall itself was composed of two words - “dubh” which means “dark” and “gall” which means "stranger". It is believed that the name was given to Celts or Norsemen (who were much darker than the locals) who settled in Ireland in pre-Norman times.
