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Irish surname

Lappin: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Lapáin · 'descendant of Lapán' (diminutive of lapa, a paw, or fist)

Woulfe (1923) gives Lappin among the anglicised forms of Ó Lapáin, 'descendant of Lapán' (diminutive of lapa, a paw, or fist), the name of an Ulster family who were anciently chiefs of Cinel Enda in Co. Donegal and erenaghs of Derry, but afterwards removed to Co. Armagh. He says the name is still common in Ulster. In 1890, 24 of the 26 Lappin birth entries in Ireland were in Ulster.

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Coat of arms associated with the Lappin surname
Irish formÓ Lapáin
Meaning'descendant of Lapán' (diminutive of lapa, a paw, or fist)
CountiesArmagh, Tyrone, Antrim, Donegal
Other spellings3

Origin of the Lappin name

Woulfe: the name of an Ulster family 'anciently chiefs of Cinel Enda, in Co. Donegal, and erenaghs of Derry, but afterwards removed to Co. Armagh'. 'The name is still common in Ulster.'[1]

  1. 957Four Masters: Oenghus Ua Lapain, Bishop of Rath-bhoth.[4]
  2. 983Four Masters: Uissine Ua Lapain, airchinneach of Doire-Chalgaigh.[5]
  3. 1010Four Masters: Oenghus Ua Lapain, lord of Cinel-Enda, was slain by the Cinel-Eoghain of the Island.[6]
  4. 189026 Lappin birth entries in Ireland, 24 of them in Ulster.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. ArmaghMatheson 1890 lists Armagh first among the counties in which Lappin was principally found.[2]
Co. TyroneListed second by Matheson (1890) among the counties in which Lappin was principally found.[2]
Co. AntrimListed third by Matheson (1890) among the counties in which Lappin was principally found.[2]
Co. DonegalWoulfe: the family were anciently chiefs of Cinel Enda in Co. Donegal.[1]
Co. MayoWoulfe: 'In Co. Mayo, it is sometimes made Delap in English.'[1]

Other spellings

O Lappan · Lapin · Laphin[1]

The Lappin coat of arms

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

Lappin crest gifts

Clan Olappin Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapYA22 Classic Cap - Olappin Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Olappin Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Olappin Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap JW49 Olappin Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Olappin Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00

Lappin surname: questions

What does the surname Lappin mean?

Woulfe gives Lappin among the forms of Ó Lapáin, 'descendant of Lapán', Lapán being a diminutive of lapa, a paw or fist.[1]

Where is the Lappin name from?

Woulfe says it is the name of an Ulster family who were anciently chiefs of Cinel Enda in Co. Donegal and erenaghs of Derry, but afterwards removed to Co. Armagh, and that the name is still common in Ulster.[1]

Where were Lappins found in Ireland in 1890?

Matheson's 1890 birth index has 26 Lappin entries in Ireland: 2 in Leinster and 24 in Ulster. He names Armagh, Tyrone, and Antrim as the counties in which the name was principally found.[2]

What are the Four Masters entries for Ua Lapain?

Four Masters: M957 names Oenghus Ua Lapain, Bishop of Rath-bhoth. Four Masters: M983 names Uissine Ua Lapain, airchinneach of Doire-Chalgaigh. Four Masters: M1010 says Oenghus Ua Lapain, lord of Cinel-Enda, was slain by the Cinel-Eoghain of the Island.[4][5][6]

Sources

  1. Ó Lapáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/ol/o-lapain.php
  2. Lappin — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/lappin.php
  3. Varieties list 1050 (Laffan, Laffen, Laphin, Lapin, Lappin) — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/1050.php
  4. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 957 (part 6) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text006.html
  5. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 983 (part 9) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text009.html
  6. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1010 (part 11) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text011.html

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