Origin of the surname Gahan

Recorded in many spelling forms including Gaughan, Gavan, Gavaghan, Gavahan, Gahan, O' Geehan, MacGeehan, McGeehan, and McGahan, this notable surname is Irish. Originally it was exclusive to the province of Connacht, but is now quite popular in parts of Ulster. The derivation is from the pre 10th century Old Gaelic "O'Gaibhtheachain", meaning the descendant of Gaibhtheachan, a male give name meaning fierce or dangerous! Traditionally, Irish family names are taken from the first head of the tribe, who was usually an illustrious warrior, which was clearly the case here.

The first recorded spelling of this family name as O'Gaughan was in the ancient population group of Ui Fiachrach, located in north Mayo and Sligo, where they possessed territory in the Crossmolina area of County Mayo, whilst it is as Gahan in East Leinster, Gavahan or Gavaghan in County Roscommon, McGeehan and Mageen in County Donegal, and McGahan in County Louth. Early examples of surname recordings taken from the Famine Lists and surviving church registers include: Patrick McGeehan who left Liverpool, on the ship "Monetzuma" bound for New York on May 15th 1846, Susan Gavaghan, who also left for New York on the ship "New-York" on November 6th 1846, and Honor Gaughan, the daughter of James Gaughan and Margaret Browne, who was christened at Crossmolina, on July 19th 1864, whilst quite recently on June 11th 1972, Patrick Gaughan and Mary Breda Hinchin were married in London. Throughout the centuries surnames in every country have continued to "develop", often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

The surname Gahan. Genealogy, origin, history, meaning, and significance

The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname gahan is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation. Adhering to what we know about the way surnames originated, it is possible to offer a realistic explanation of the origins of gahan.

The surname Gahan around the world

The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname gahan provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations.

History of Gahan

For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname gahan, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of gahan developed. In the following lines, you will find everything we have been able to gather about the surname gahan.

We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about gahan and send it to us, we will update it on this website.

Notable Figures Named Gahan

Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname gahan were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. If you or someone you know bears the surname gahan, you could potentially build illustrious lineages through your efforts and virtues. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname gahan who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.

The surname Gahan and its bibliographic sources

The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of gahan are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation. Accessing the archives of the town or towns where your ancestors were born and lived is, of course, a good way to trace the origins of gahan.

SOURCES

These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of gahan, and at the same time, of surnames in general.

Origin of Gahan