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Irish surname

Sloane: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Sluaghadháin · 'descendant of Sluaghadhán,' or 'Sluaghaidhín' (diminutive of Sluaghadhach)

Woulfe (1923) gives Sloane among the anglicised forms of Ó Sluaghadháin, 'descendant of Sluaghadhán,' or 'Sluaghaidhín' (diminutive of Sluaghadhach), which he says is probably a variant of Ó Sluaghadhaigh. He says the Sloanes of Antrim and Down are of Scottish origin, though the Gaelic form of the surname is the same. In 1890, Matheson's index has 61 entries including spelling varieties (44 spelled Sloan, 16 spelled Sloane), 55 of them in Ulster.

Coat of arms associated with the Sloane surname
Irish formÓ Sluaghadháin
Meaning'descendant of Sluaghadhán,' or 'Sluaghaidhín' (diminutive of Sluaghadhach)
CountiesMayo, Antrim, Down
Other spellings5

Origin of the Sloane name

Woulfe: 'probably a variant of Ó Sluaghadhaigh'; 'a not uncommon surname in Co. Mayo, where it is anglicised Sloyan and Sloyne. The Sloanes of Antrim and Down are of Scottish origin, but the Gaelic form of the surname is the same.'[1]

  1. 1660Hans Sloane is born at Killyleagh, County Down, on 16 April.[4]
  2. 1716George I creates Sir Hans Sloane a baronet.[4]
  3. 1727Sloane is made President of the Royal Society on Newton's death.[4]
  4. 1753Sir Hans Sloane dies on 11 January, aged 92, and is buried at Chelsea.[4]
  5. 189061 entries including spelling varieties (44 spelled Sloan, 16 spelled Sloane); 55 in Ulster, 34 in Antrim.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. MayoWoulfe: a not uncommon surname there, anglicised Sloyan and Sloyne.[1]
Co. AntrimWoulfe: the Sloanes of Antrim and Down are of Scottish origin; Matheson 1890: 34 of the 61 entries (including spelling varieties) in Antrim.[1][2]
Co. DownWoulfe: the Sloanes of Antrim and Down are of Scottish origin.[1]

Notable people named Sloane

Sir Hans Sloane1660–1753Physician born at Killyleagh, Co. Down; Webb calls him 'founder of the collection that formed the basis of the British Museum'.[4][1]

Other spellings

Sloan · Slone · Slown · Sloyan · Sloyne[1][3]

Scottish connection

Woulfe says 'The Sloanes of Antrim and Down are of Scottish origin, but the Gaelic form of the surname is the same.'[1]

The Sloane coat of arms

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

Sloane crest gifts

Sloane surname: questions

What does the surname Sloane mean?

Woulfe gives Sloane as a form of Ó Sluaghadháin, 'descendant of Sluaghadhán,' or 'Sluaghaidhín' (diminutive of Sluaghadhach).[1]

Is Sloane an Irish or a Scottish name?

Woulfe says the Sloanes of Antrim and Down are of Scottish origin, but the Gaelic form of the surname is the same; he also says it is a not uncommon surname in Co. Mayo, where it is anglicised Sloyan and Sloyne.[1]

Where in Ireland are Sloanes found?

Matheson's 1890 birth index has 61 entries including spelling varieties for Sloan (44 spelled Sloan, 16 spelled Sloane), 55 of them in Ulster and 34 in Antrim.[2]

Was Sir Hans Sloane Irish?

Webb says Sir Hans Sloane was born at Killyleagh, County Down, on 16 April 1660, and Woulfe says he 'was of this family'.[4][1]

Sources

  1. Ó Sluaghadháin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/os/o-sluaghadhain.php
  2. Sloan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/sloan.php
  3. Sloan — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/1893.php
  4. Sloane, Sir Hans — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/SirHansSloane.php

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