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Irish surname

Geoghegan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mag Eochagáin · 'son of Eochagán' (a diminutive of Eochaidh)

Woulfe (1923) gives Geoghegan, Mageoghegan and MacGeoghegan as anglicised forms of Mag Eochagáin, 'son of Eochagán', 'the name of an ancient and highly respectable family in Co. Westmeath'. He says they were a branch of the southern Ui Neill and lords of Moycashel until the Cromwellian confiscations, and that a branch was transplanted to Co. Galway, 'where the name is still common'. In 1890 Geoghegan births were principally found in Dublin and Galway.

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Coat of arms associated with the Geoghegan surname
Irish formMag Eochagáin
Meaning'son of Eochagán' (a diminutive of Eochaidh)
CountiesWestmeath, Galway, Dublin
Other spellings8

Origin of the Geoghegan name

Woulfe: an ancient Co. Westmeath family, a branch of the southern Ui Neill descended from Fiacha, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, whence their clan-name Cinel Fhiachach. In the 16th century their patrimony comprised the barony of Moycashel; they were lords of Moycashel until the Cromwellian confiscations. A branch was transplanted to Co. Galway.[1]

  1. 1291Congalagh Mageoghegan, Chief of Kinel-Fiachach, died.[7]
  2. 1328The English 'sustained a great defeat from Mageoghegan' (Four Masters).[8]
  3. 1627Conall Mageoghegan finishes his English translation of annals 'sometimes called' the Annals of Clonmacnois.[9]
  4. 1690'MAC GEOHEGAINE' appears in Sir James Terry's list of Irish septs.[5]
  5. 1758First volume of Abbé MacGeoghegan's history of Ireland published in Paris.[10]
  6. 189038 birth entries including spelling varieties (33 spelled Geoghegan); principally Dublin and Galway.[3][6]

Where in Ireland

Co. WestmeathWoulfe: an ancient family of Co. Westmeath, lords of Moycashel until the Cromwellian confiscations.[1]
Co. GalwayA branch transplanted there, 'where the name is still common'; a principal Geoghegan county in 1890.[1][3]
Co. DublinFirst of the two counties where Geoghegan births were principally found in 1890.[3]

Notable people named Geoghegan

Conall Mageogheganfl. 1635Westmeath historian at Lismoyny; translated a volume of Irish annals into English, finished 30 June 1627.[9]
Abbé James MacGeogheganc. 1701–1764Born in Ireland about 1701; entered the Church in France; author of a standard history of Ireland (1758–1763).[10]

Other spellings

Mageoghegan · MacGeoghegan · Gehegan · Geogan · Geagan · Gegan · Geghan · Gahagan[1]

The Geoghegan coat of arms

'MAC GEOHEGAINE' 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. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named Geoghegan is entitled to a coat of arms.[5]

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

Geoghegan crest gifts

Clan Geoghegan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap WG73 Geoghegan Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Geoghegan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Geoghegan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapZN18 Classic Cap - Geoghegan Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Geoghegan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

Geoghegan surname: questions

What does the surname Geoghegan mean?

Woulfe gives Geoghegan as a form of Mag Eochagáin, 'son of Eochagán', and calls Eochagán a diminutive of Eochaidh.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Geoghegan name from?

Woulfe calls the Mageoghegans an ancient family of Co. Westmeath, lords of Moycashel until the Cromwellian confiscations, with a branch transplanted to Co. Galway. In 1890 Geoghegan births were principally found in Dublin and Galway.[1][3]

Is Geoghegan the same as MacGeoghegan or Mageoghegan?

Yes. Woulfe lists Mageoghegan, MacGeoghegan and Geoghegan among the anglicised forms of Mag Eochagáin.[1]

Is Gahagan the same name as Geoghegan?

Woulfe lists Gahagan under Mag Eachagáin, which he calls a variant in Ulster of Mag Eochagáin, and Matheson's 1901 list gives Gahagan as a spelling of Geoghegan.[2][4]

Sources

  1. Mag Eochagáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/mag/mag-eochagain.php
  2. Mag Eachagáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/mag/mag-eachagain.php
  3. Geoghegan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/geoghegan.php
  4. Geoghegan — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/690.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
  7. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1291 (part 12) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text012.html
  8. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1328 (part 16) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text016.html
  9. Mageoghegan, Conall — Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900 (Norman Moore), Wikisource. en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/...
  10. Abbe James MacGeoghegan — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/AbbeJamesMacGeoghegan.php

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