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Irish surname

Lonergan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Longargáin, Ó Lonnargáin, Ó Lonnragáin · 'descendant of Longargán' (diminutive of lonngarg, strong-fierce)

Woulfe (1923) gives Lonergan as an anglicised form of Ó Longargáin, 'descendant of Longargán', a Dalcassian family seated in the east of Thomond until after 1318, when they were driven out by the O'Briens and MacNamaras and settled in Co. Tipperary. He says the family 'produced several distinguished ecclesiastics', including Archbishops of Cashel. In 1890 Ireland's birth indexes held 56 Lonergan entries including spelling varieties (49 spelled Lonergan), principally found in Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny and Cork.

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Coat of arms associated with the Lonergan surname
Irish formÓ Longargáin, Ó Lonnargáin, Ó Lonnragáin
Meaning'descendant of Longargán' (diminutive of lonngarg, strong-fierce)
CountiesTipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Cork
Other spellings7
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Lonergan crest gifts

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Origin of the Lonergan name

Woulfe: a Dalcassian family 'seated in the east of Thomond until after the year 1318, when they were driven out by the O'Briens and MacNamaras, and settled in Co. Tipperary.' He adds that Ware mentions three of them as Archbishops of Cashel (12th and 13th century), two as Bishops of Killaloe and one as Bishop of Cloyne.[1]

  1. 1099Four Masters: Annudh Ua Longargain, Abbot of Tir-da-ghlas, died.[5]
  2. 1158Four Masters: Domhnall Ua Longargain, Archbishop of Caiseal, died at an advanced age.[6]
  3. 1161Four Masters: Tadhg Ua Longargain, Bishop of Thomond, among churchmen who died.[6]
  4. 1215Four Masters: Dionysius O'Lonargan, Archbishop of Cashel, died at Rome.[7]
  5. 1318After this year the family was driven from east Thomond and settled in Tipperary.[1]
  6. 189056 entries incl. spelling varieties (49 Lonergan, 5 Londrigan); 46 in Munster.[2][4]

Where in Ireland

Co. TipperarySettled here after 1318 (Woulfe); first county named for Lonergan births in 1890.[1][2]
Co. WaterfordWoulfe: the name is now very common in Waterford; a principal Lonergan county in 1890.[1][2]
Co. KilkennyWoulfe: the name is now very common in Kilkenny; a principal Lonergan county in 1890.[1][2]
Co. CorkAmong the four counties where Lonergan births were principally found in 1890.[2]

Notable people named Lonergan

Domhnall Ua Longargaind. 1158Four Masters: Archbishop of Caiseal, 'chief senior of Munster, a paragon of wisdom and charity'.[6]
Dionysius O'Lonargand. 1215Four Masters: Archbishop of Cashel; died at Rome.[7]

Other spellings

Lonnergan · Londregan · Londrigan · Landregan · Ladrigan · Lorrigan · O Lonergane[1]

The Lonergan coat of arms

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

Lonergan surname: questions

What does the surname Lonergan mean?

Woulfe gives Lonergan as a form of Ó Longargáin, 'descendant of Longargán', which he explains as a diminutive of lonngarg, 'strong-fierce'.[1]

Is Lonergan an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe lists Lonergan, Lonnergan, Londregan and other spellings as anglicised forms of the Irish surname Ó Longargáin, the name of a Dalcassian family.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Lonergan name from?

Woulfe says the family was seated in the east of Thomond until after 1318 and then settled in Co. Tipperary; the name is 'now very common in Tipperary, Kilkenny and Waterford'. In 1890 Lonergan births were found principally in Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny and Cork.[1][2]

Were there Lonergan archbishops?

Yes. Woulfe says Ware names three of the family as Archbishops of Cashel in the 12th and 13th century, and the Four Masters record the deaths of Domhnall Ua Longargain (1158) and Dionysius O'Lonargan (1215), both Archbishops of Cashel.[1][6][7]

Sources

  1. Ó Longargáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/ol/o-longargain.php
  2. Lonergan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/lonergan.php
  3. Lonergan — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/1116.php
  4. Table Explanation — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/table-explanation.php
  5. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1099 (part 20) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text020.html
  6. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1158 and 1161 (part 26) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text026.html
  7. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1215 (part 5) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text005.html

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