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Irish surname

Egan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mac Aodhagáin · 'son of Aodhagán' (a diminutive of Aodh)

Woulfe (1923) gives Egan as an anglicised form of two different Irish names. Mac Aodhagáin (MacEgan) was 'a distinguished brehon family', originally of Ui Maine in Connacht; Ó hAodhagáin belonged to an Oriel family and to a family of Ely-O'Carroll. In 1890 Egan births were chiefly in Galway, Dublin, King's County (now Offaly), Mayo and Roscommon.

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Coat of arms associated with the Egan surname
Irish formMac Aodhagáin
Meaning'son of Aodhagán' (a diminutive of Aodh)
CountiesGalway, Dublin, Offaly, Mayo
Other spellings4
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Egan crest gifts

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Origin of the Egan name

Woulfe gives two names. (1) Mac Aodhagáin, 'son of Aodhagán': a distinguished brehon family, originally of Ui Maine in Connacht, with branches in Ormond, Desmond and elsewhere who were brehons to local chieftains and kept schools of law. (2) Ó hAodhagáin, 'descendant of Aodhagán': an Oriel family and a family of Ely-O'Carroll.[1][2]

  1. 10th–11th centuriesÓ hAodhagáin of Oriel are lords of Dartraighe (Monaghan) and Ui Niallain (Armagh).[2]
  2. 14th–15th centuriesMacEgan brehon branches settle in Ormond, Desmond and other parts of Ireland.[1]
  3. 1789John Egan enters Parliament as member for Ballinakill.[3]
  4. 1799John Egan appointed Chairman of Kilmainham.[3]
  5. 1890171 Egan births (incl. spelling variants), chiefly Galway, Dublin, King's, Mayo, Roscommon.[4]

Where in Ireland

Co. GalwayFirst county named for Egan births in 1890; Connaught had 69 of 171.[4]
Co. DublinAmong the counties where Egan was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. OffalyÓ hAodhagáin of Ely-O'Carroll, 'in the present Offaly'; King's County (Offaly since 1920) was a principal county in 1890.[2][4][6]
Co. MayoAmong the counties where Egan was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. RoscommonAmong the counties where Egan was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. MonaghanÓ hAodhagáin of Oriel were lords of Dartraighe, Co. Monaghan, in the 10th and 11th centuries.[2]

Notable people named Egan

Ivor O'HeganOf the Oriel Ó hAodhagáin; tutor of St. Malachy and founder of the church of SS. Peter and Paul, Armagh.[2]
John Eganc. 1750–1810Chairman of Kilmainham, MP and noted duellist, born at Charleville, Co. Cork; spoke against the Union.[3]

Other spellings

MacEgan · Eagan · O'Hegan · Hegan[1]

The Egan coat of arms

The name appears as 'MAC EGANE' in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as printed by Matheson. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named Egan is entitled to a coat of arms.[5]

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

Egan surname: questions

What does the surname Egan mean?

Woulfe gives Egan under two Irish names: Mac Aodhagáin, 'son of Aodhagán', and Ó hAodhagáin, 'descendant of Aodhagán'. Aodhagán is a diminutive of Aodh.[1][2]

Were the MacEgans a brehon (law) family?

Yes. Woulfe calls Mac Aodhagáin 'a distinguished brehon family'. In the 14th and 15th centuries branches settled in Ormond, Desmond and other parts of Ireland, 'where they became brehons to the local chieftains'. They also kept schools of law, and 'many learned men and eminent professors of the same name are mentioned in the Irish annals'.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Egan name from?

Woulfe places the MacEgans originally in Ui Maine in Connacht, and Ó hAodhagáin families in Oriel (Monaghan and Armagh) and Ely-O'Carroll (Offaly). In 1890 Egan births were chiefly in Galway, Dublin, King's County (now Offaly), Mayo and Roscommon.[1][2][4][6]

Are Egan and MacEgan the same name?

MacEgan and Egan are both given by Woulfe as anglicised forms of Mac Aodhagáin; Egan is also an anglicised form of Ó hAodhagáin.[1][2]

Sources

  1. Mac Aodhagáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/maca/mac-aodhagain.php
  2. Ó hAodhagáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-haodhagain.php
  3. John Egan — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/JohnEgan.php
  4. Egan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/egan.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. County Offaly (King's County) — authority record, Offaly Archives. offalyarchives.com/index.php/county-offaly/term/relatedAuthorities

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