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Irish surname

Foran: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Fuarráin, Ó Fuartháin · 'descendant of Fuarrán' or 'Fuarthán' (diminutive of fuar, cold)

Woulfe (1923) gives Foran as an anglicised form of Ó Fuarráin or Ó Fuartháin, 'descendant of Fuarrán' or 'Fuarthán' (diminutive of fuar, cold). He calls it the name of an old Munster family, still numerous in Waterford, Cork, Kerry and Limerick, but often, especially in Cork, disguised as Ford or Forde. In 1890 Ireland's birth indexes held 26 entries including spelling varieties (18 spelled Foran), principally found in Dublin, Limerick and Waterford.

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Coat of arms associated with the Foran surname
Irish formÓ Fuarráin, Ó Fuartháin
Meaning'descendant of Fuarrán' or 'Fuarthán' (diminutive of fuar, cold)
CountiesWaterford, Limerick, Cork, Kerry
Other spellings6

Origin of the Foran name

Woulfe: 'the name of an old Munster family, still numerous in Waterford, Cork, Kerry and Limerick, but often, especially in Cork, disguised as Ford or Forde.'[1]

  1. 1690Sept list prints 'O FOREHANE'; Woulfe gives 'O Forehan', 'Forehane' for Ó Fuarráin.[5]
  2. 189026 entries including spelling varieties (18 spelled Foran); principally Dublin, Limerick, Waterford.[2][6]

Where in Ireland

Co. WaterfordWoulfe: still numerous there; also a principal Foran county in 1890.[1][2]
Co. LimerickWoulfe: still numerous there; also a principal Foran county in 1890.[1][2]
Co. CorkWoulfe: still numerous, but often disguised there as Ford or Forde.[1]
Co. KerryWoulfe names Kerry among the counties where the family is still numerous.[1]
Co. DublinFirst of the counties named in Matheson's 1890 birth-index entry for the name.[2]

Other spellings

Forhan · Forehan · Forehane · Fourhane · O Forane · O Forhane[1][3]

The Foran coat of arms

'O FOREHANE' is printed in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as reproduced by Matheson. Woulfe prints 'O Forehan' and 'Forehane' among the forms of Ó Fuarráin; the list itself does not print Foran, so that link rests on the spelling. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named Foran is entitled to a coat of arms.[5]

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Foran 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.

Foran crest gifts

Clan Foran Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapAC46 Classic Cap - Foran Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Foran Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

Foran surname: questions

What does the surname Foran mean?

Woulfe gives Foran as a form of Ó Fuarráin or Ó Fuartháin, 'descendant of Fuarrán' or 'Fuarthán', a diminutive of fuar, 'cold'.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Foran name from?

Munster. Woulfe calls it an old Munster family, still numerous in Waterford, Cork, Kerry and Limerick. In Matheson's 1890 birth index the name was principally found in Dublin, Limerick and Waterford.[1][2]

Are Foran and Ford the same name?

Woulfe says the Ó Fuarráin name is often, especially in Cork, disguised as Ford or Forde, and Matheson's 1901 list prints Forhane among the registered varieties of Forde.[1][4]

Sources

  1. Ó Fuarráin, Ó Fuartháin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/of/o-fuarrain.php
  2. Foran — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/foran.php
  3. Foran — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/637.php
  4. Forde — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/639.php
  5. List of Names of Irish Septs (Terry, 1690) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/irish-septs.php
  6. 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

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