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Irish surname

Nolan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Nualláin · 'descendant of Nuallán' (diminutive of nuall, noble, famous)

Nolan is an anglicised form of the Irish Ó Nualláin, 'descendant of Nuallán'. Woulfe (1923) describes a numerous Leinster family whose head was chief of Fothart Feadha, now the barony of Forth in Co. Carlow, and a second family in south-west Cork. In 1890, 220 of 321 Nolan births were in Leinster.

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Coat of arms associated with the Nolan surname
Irish formÓ Nualláin
Meaning'descendant of Nuallán' (diminutive of nuall, noble, famous)
CountiesCarlow, Cork, Dublin, Wexford
Other spellings7

Origin of the Nolan name

Woulfe: Ó Nualláin was the name of 'a numerous and respectable family in Leinster', whose head was chief of Fothart Feadha, now the barony of Forth, Co. Carlow, and 'had the privilege of inaugurating MacMurrough as King of Leinster'; and of a family of Corca Laoighdhe, in south-west Cork.[1]

  1. 1805Lawyer Michael Nolan publishes a two-volume Treatise on the Irish Poor Laws.[3]
  2. 1827Death of Michael Nolan, judge of a Welsh circuit.[3]
  3. 1890Birth indexes: 321 Nolan births, 220 of them in Leinster.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. CarlowChiefs of Fothart Feadha, now the barony of Forth; inaugurated MacMurrough as King of Leinster.[1]
Co. CorkA separate family of Corca Laoighdhe, in south-west Cork.[1]
Co. DublinFirst of the counties where most Nolan births were registered in 1890.[2]
Co. WexfordAmong the leading counties for Nolan births in 1890, with Wicklow and Kildare.[2]

Notable people named Nolan

Michael Nolanmid-18th century – 1827Distinguished Irish lawyer and judge of a Welsh circuit; author of a Treatise on the Irish Poor Laws.[3]

Other spellings

O'Nolan · O'Nowlan · Nowlan · Noland · O Nowlane · O Nolane · O Noland[1]

The Nolan coat of arms

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

Nolan crest gifts

Clan Nolan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap VQ53 Nolan Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Nolan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45Clan Nolan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapGB47 Classic Cap - Nolan Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Nolan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45

Nolan surname: questions

What does the surname Nolan mean?

Woulfe gives Nolan as an anglicised form of Ó Nualláin, 'descendant of Nuallán', a diminutive of nuall, 'noble, famous'.[1]

Where in Ireland is Nolan from?

Woulfe places the main family in Leinster, as chiefs of Fothart Feadha (the barony of Forth, Co. Carlow), with a second family in south-west Cork. In 1890 Nolan births were most common in Dublin, Wexford, Carlow, Wicklow and Kildare.[1][2]

Are Nolan and Nowlan the same name?

Yes. Woulfe lists O'Nolan, O'Nowlan, Nowlan, Nolan and Noland as anglicised forms of the same Irish surname, Ó Nualláin.[1]

Sources

  1. Ó Nualláin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/on/o-nuallain.php
  2. Nolan — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909; 1890 birth indexes), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/nolan.php
  3. Michael Nolan — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/MichaelNolan.php

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