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Irish surname

O'Hanrahan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó hAnradháin; Ó hAnracháin · 'descendant of Anradhán' (diminutive of anradh, warrior, champion)

Woulfe (1923) gives O'Hanrahan and Hanrahan as anglicised forms of Ó hAnradháin, 'descendant of Anradhán' (warrior, champion), and of Ó hAnracháin, a corruption of it which he calls 'very common in Thomond'. He names a Dalcassian family in Thomond among four families of the name. In 1890 Hanrahan births were found principally in Clare and Limerick. Michael O'Hanrahan (1877–1916) was executed after the 1916 Rising.

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Coat of arms associated with the O'Hanrahan surname
Irish formÓ hAnradháin; Ó hAnracháin
Meaning'descendant of Anradhán' (diminutive of anradh, warrior, champion)
CountiesClare, Limerick
Other spellings3

Origin of the O'Hanrahan name

Woulfe: Ó hAnradháin was the name of (1) a Dalcassian family in Thomond, 'where it is still very common'; (2) a West Cork family, anciently erenaghs of Ross; (3) a Leix family, chiefs of Ui Creamhthainn around the rock of Dunamase; (4) a Meath family, chiefs of Corca Raoidhe. The Hanrahan form, Ó hAnracháin, is 'very common in Thomond'.[1][2]

  1. 1877Michael O'Hanrahan born in New Ross, Co. Wexford.[6]
  2. 189054 Hanrahan births registered; principally Clare and Limerick.[3][4]
  3. 1898Michael O'Hanrahan joined the Gaelic League; founded a Carlow branch next year.[6]
  4. 1916Michael O'Hanrahan executed on 4 May after the Rising.[6]

Where in Ireland

Co. ClareFirst county named for Hanrahan births in 1890.[3]
Co. LimerickOne of the two counties where Hanrahan births were principally found in 1890.[3]

Notable people named O'Hanrahan

Michael O'Hanrahan (Micheál Ó hAnnracháin)1877–1916Gaelic League member and novelist; third in command at Jacob's in the 1916 Rising; executed 4 May.[6]

Other spellings

Hanrahan · Handrahan · O Hanraghane[1][2]

The O'Hanrahan coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the O'Hanrahan 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.

O'Hanrahan crest gifts

Clan Ohanrahan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap ER66 Ohanrahan Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Ohanrahan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45Clan Ohanrahan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapZU12 Classic Cap - Ohanrahan Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Ohanrahan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45

O'Hanrahan surname: questions

What does the surname O'Hanrahan mean?

Woulfe gives O'Hanrahan as a form of Ó hAnradháin, 'descendant of Anradhán', a diminutive of anradh, 'warrior, champion'.[1]

Where in Ireland is the O'Hanrahan name from?

Woulfe says the Hanrahan form, Ó hAnracháin, is very common in Thomond, home of a Dalcassian family of the name. In 1890 Hanrahan births were found principally in Clare and Limerick.[1][2][3]

Are Hanrahan and O'Hanrahan the same name?

Yes. Woulfe lists both O'Hanrahan and Hanrahan as anglicised forms of Ó hAnradháin and of its Thomond form Ó hAnracháin.[1][2]

Who was Michael O'Hanrahan?

The National Library of Ireland says Michael O'Hanrahan (1877–1916) was born in New Ross, Co. Wexford, joined the Gaelic League in 1898, served third in command at Jacob's biscuit factory in the 1916 Rising, and was executed on 4 May. He tended to use the Irish form Micheál Ó hAnnracháin.[6]

Sources

  1. Ó hAnradháin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-hanradhain.php
  2. Ó hAnracháin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oh/o-hanrachain.php
  3. Hanrahan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/hanrahan.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. Hanrahan — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/812.php
  6. Michael O'Hanrahan — The Executed — 1916 Exhibition, National Library of Ireland. nli.ie/1916/exhibition/en/content/executed/hanrahan/

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