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Irish surname

Flanagan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Flannagáin · 'descendant of Flannagán' (diminutive of Flann, red)

Flanagan is an anglicised form of Ó Flannagáin, 'descendant of Flannagán', a diminutive of Flann (red). Woulfe (1923) records at least five distinct families of the name, in Fermanagh, Roscommon, Westmeath, Offaly and Waterford. In Matheson's 1890 survey Flanagan was the 69th commonest surname in Ireland, with about 9,800 people.

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Coat of arms associated with the Flanagan surname
Irish formÓ Flannagáin
Meaning'descendant of Flannagán' (diminutive of Flann, red)
CountiesRoscommon, Fermanagh, Westmeath, Offaly
Other spellings5
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Flanagan crest gifts

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Origin of the Flanagan name

Woulfe lists at least five families: (1) Fermanagh, Oirghialla chiefs of Tuathratha (Toorah); (2) Roscommon, of O'Connor stock, hereditary stewards to the kings of Connacht; (3) Westmeath, lords of Comair; (4) Ely O'Carroll (Offaly), chiefs of Cinel Arga; (5) Waterford, chiefs of Uachtartire, dispossessed by the Powers after the Anglo-Norman invasion.[1]

  1. after the Anglo-Norman invasionThe Waterford Flanagans of Uachtartire are dispossessed by the Powers.[1]
  2. 1886Edward J. Flanagan born at Leabeg, Co. Roscommon, 13 July.[2][6]
  3. 1890Flanagan is Ireland's 69th commonest surname, about 9,800 people.[3]
  4. 1921Fr Flanagan's boys' home moves to Overlook Farm, ten miles outside Omaha.[6]

Where in Ireland

Co. RoscommonChiefs of Clann Chathail near Elphin; first-named county for Flanagan births in 1890.[1][4]
Co. FermanaghChiefs of Toorah, barony of Magheraboy; one of three Ulster counties with many entries in 1890.[1][4]
Co. WestmeathAnciently lords of Comair and sometimes of all Teffia.[1]
Co. OffalyChiefs of Cinel Arga in Ely O'Carroll, roughly the present barony of Ballybrit.[1]
Co. WaterfordChiefs of Uachtartire, now the barony of Upperthird, until dispossessed by the Powers.[1]
Co. DublinOne of the counties where Flanagan was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. MayoOne of the counties where Flanagan was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. ClareOne of the counties where Flanagan was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. GalwayOne of the counties where Flanagan was principally found in 1890.[4]

Notable people named Flanagan

Fr Edward J. Flanagan1886–1948Born at Leabeg, Co. Roscommon; emigrated to the USA in 1904; founder of Boys Town, Omaha, Nebraska.[2][6]

Other spellings

O'Flanagan · Flanigan · Flannagan · Flannigan · O Flannagaine[1][5]

The Flanagan coat of arms

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

Flanagan surname: questions

What does the surname Flanagan mean?

Woulfe gives Flanagan as an anglicised form of Ó Flannagáin, 'descendant of Flannagán', a diminutive of Flann, meaning red.[1]

Where in Ireland is Flanagan from?

There is no single origin. Woulfe lists at least five families: in Fermanagh, Roscommon, Westmeath, Ely O'Carroll (Offaly) and Waterford. In 1890 the name was principally found in Roscommon, Dublin, Mayo, Clare and Galway.[1][4]

Are Flanagan and O'Flanagan the same name?

Yes. Woulfe lists O'Flanagan, Flanagan and Flanigan as anglicised forms of Ó Flannagáin, and Matheson's 1901 list gives O'Flanagan among the variants of Flanagan.[1][5]

Were the Flanagans connected to the O'Connors?

The Roscommon family was. Woulfe says it was a branch of the Sil-Murry 'of the same stock as the O'Connors', hereditary stewards to the kings of Connacht.[1]

Sources

  1. Ó Flannagáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/of/o-flannagain.php
  2. Father Flanagan Never Lost Touch with Hometown Ballymoe, Boys Town. boystown.org/blog/father-flanagan-never-lost-touch-with-hometown-ba...
  3. Principal Surnames in Ireland (table of 100 principal surnames, Births Index 1890) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/principal-surnames-ireland.php
  4. Flanagan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/flanagan.php
  5. Flanagan — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), list no. 628, transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/628.php
  6. Father Edward J. Flanagan (1886 – 1948): Catholic Priest and Founder of Boys Town, Omaha, NE, Social Welfare History Project, VCU Libraries. socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/people/flanagan-father-edward-j/

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