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Irish surname

Behan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Beacháin · 'descendant of Beachán' (diminutive of beach, a bee, a name applied to a child)

Woulfe (1923) gives Behan as an anglicised form of Ó Beacháin, 'descendant of Beachán', the name of a literary family in Offaly and Leix that he says is now widely spread through Leinster and Munster. In 1890, Ireland's birth indexes held 46 entries for the name including spelling varieties (37 spelled Behan), principally in Dublin and Kildare.

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Coat of arms associated with the Behan surname
Irish formÓ Beacháin
Meaning'descendant of Beachán' (diminutive of beach, a bee, a name applied to a child)
CountiesOffaly, Leix, Dublin, Kildare
Other spellings6

Origin of the Behan name

Woulfe: Ó Beacháin, 'descendant of Beachán' (diminutive of beach, a bee, 'a name applied to a child'); 'the name of a literary family in Offaly and Leix, now widely spread through Leinster and Munster.'[1]

  1. 1376Four Masters: 'Conor O'Beaghan, a learned Historian', died. Woulfe lists Beaghan as a form.[5][1]
  2. 189046 birth entries incl. spelling varieties (37 Behan); principally Dublin and Kildare.[2][4]
  3. 1923Writer Brendan Behan born in Holles Street Hospital, Dublin.[6]
  4. 1964Brendan Behan died in Dublin; buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.[6]

Where in Ireland

Co. OffalyWoulfe places the Ó Beacháin literary family in 'Offaly and Leix'.[1]
Co. LeixNamed by Woulfe, as printed: 'a literary family in Offaly and Leix'.[1]
Co. DublinFirst county named for Behan births in 1890.[2]
Co. KildareOne of the two counties where Behan births were principally found in 1890.[2]

Notable people named Behan

Brendan Behan1923–1964Dublin writer of Borstal Boy and the plays The Hostage and The Quare Fellow; buried in Glasnevin.[6]

Other spellings

O Behan · Beahan · Beaghan · Behane · Beegan · Bean[1]

The Behan coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Behan surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Behan crest gifts

Clan Behan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapTS33 Classic Cap - Behan Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Behan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Behan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap JE58 Behan Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Behan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00

Behan surname: questions

What does the surname Behan mean?

Woulfe gives Behan as a form of Ó Beacháin, 'descendant of Beachán'. He explains Beachán as a diminutive of beach, 'a bee', a name applied to a child.[1]

Is Behan an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe lists Behan, O Behan, Beahan, Behane and other spellings as anglicised forms of the Irish surname Ó Beacháin.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Behan name from?

Woulfe says Ó Beacháin was the name of a literary family in Offaly and Leix, now widely spread through Leinster and Munster. In 1890 Behan births were found principally in Dublin and Kildare.[1][2]

Who was Brendan Behan?

The Museum of Literature Ireland describes Brendan Behan (1923–1964) as a Dublin-born writer whose autobiographical novel Borstal Boy drew on his detention as a young offender, and whose plays The Hostage and The Quare Fellow played in London, Paris and New York.[6]

Sources

  1. Ó Beacháin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/ob/o-beachain.php
  2. Behan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/behan.php
  3. Behan — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/80.php
  4. Table Explanation — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/table-explanation.php
  5. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1376 (part 1 of vol. D) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005D/text001.html
  6. A City of Words — Brendan Behan, Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI). guide.moli.ie/e/a-city-of-words-brendan-behan

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).