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Irish surname

Keegan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mac Aodhagáin; Ó Caogáin (a Connacht spoken corruption) · 'son of Aodhagán' (a diminutive of Aodh)

Woulfe (1923) gives Keegan as an anglicised form of Mac Aodhagáin, 'son of Aodhagán', the name of a distinguished brehon (law) family from Ui Maine in Connacht, and says Ó Caogáin, Keegan, is a corruption of that name in the spoken language of Connacht. In 1890, 95 Keegan births were registered in Ireland, chiefly in Dublin, Roscommon, Wicklow and Leitrim.

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Coat of arms associated with the Keegan surname
Irish formMac Aodhagáin; Ó Caogáin (a Connacht spoken corruption)
Meaning'son of Aodhagán' (a diminutive of Aodh)
CountiesDublin, Roscommon, Wicklow, Leitrim
Other spellings3
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Keegan crest gifts

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Origin of the Keegan name

Gaelic. Woulfe lists Keegan, with MacKeegan, MacEgan and Egan, among the anglicised forms of Mac Aodhagáin, the name of a distinguished brehon family originally of Ui Maine in Connacht. He calls Ó Caogáin, Keegan, a corruption of Mac Aodhagáin in the spoken language of Connacht.[1][2]

  1. 1809Poet John Keegan born on the banks of the Nore, Queen's County.[4]
  2. 189095 Keegan births registered in Ireland, 61 of them in Leinster.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. DublinFirst county named for Keegan births in 1890.[3]
Co. RoscommonAmong the counties where Keegan was principally found in 1890.[3]
Co. WicklowAmong the counties where Keegan was principally found in 1890.[3]
Co. LeitrimAmong the counties where Keegan was principally found in 1890.[3]

Notable people named Keegan

John Keegan1809–1849Poet born by the Nore, Queen's County; 'Caoch the Piper' among his best verses (Webb).[4]

Other spellings

MacKeegan · M'Keagan · Heagan[1]

The Keegan coat of arms

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

Keegan surname: questions

What does the surname Keegan mean?

Woulfe gives Keegan as a form of Mac Aodhagáin, 'son of Aodhagán', a diminutive of the personal name Aodh.[1]

Are Keegan and Egan the same name?

Woulfe lists both Egan and Keegan among the anglicised forms of Mac Aodhagáin, and calls Ó Caogáin (Keegan) a Connacht spoken corruption of that name.[1][2]

Where in Ireland is the Keegan name from?

Woulfe places the Mac Aodhagáin family originally in Ui Maine in Connacht. In 1890 Keegan births were found chiefly in Dublin, Roscommon, Wicklow and Leitrim.[1][3]

Is Keegan linked to a brehon family?

Woulfe lists Keegan among the anglicised forms of Mac Aodhagáin, which he calls 'the name of a distinguished brehon family' that also kept schools of law. He does not say which English spelling each branch of that family used.[1]

Sources

  1. Mac Aodhagáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/maca/mac-aodhagain.php
  2. Ó Caogáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-caogain.php
  3. Keegan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/keegan.php
  4. John Keegan — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/JohnKeegan.php

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