Home › Irish Surnames › Scanlon

Irish surname

Scanlon: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Scannláin · 'descendant of Scannlán' (diminutive of Scannal)

Woulfe (1923) gives Scanlon and Scanlan as Ó Scannláin, 'descendant of Scannlán', the name of several distinct families in different parts of Ireland, among them families of Sligo, Galway, Cork and Fermanagh. He says it is now common in Munster and Connacht. In 1890, 97 births were registered in Ireland under Scanlon (54), Scanlan (42) and other spellings, chiefly in Kerry, Clare, Sligo, Limerick and Cork.

Shop Scanlon crest giftsRead the history
Coat of arms associated with the Scanlon surname
Irish formÓ Scannláin
Meaning'descendant of Scannlán' (diminutive of Scannal)
CountiesKerry, Clare, Sligo, Limerick
Other spellings4
Welcome offer $10 off orders of $20 or more with code WELCOME10 One use per customer. Cannot be combined with other offers.

Scanlon crest gifts

Clan Oscanlon Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapCN10 Classic Cap - Oscanlon Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Oscanlon Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Scanlon Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapJI29 Classic Cap - Scanlon Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Scanlon Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Scanlon Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap DR24 Scanlon Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Scanlon Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45Clan Oscanlon Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap HU75 Oscanlon Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Oscanlon Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45O'Scanlon Irish coat of arms glass ornaments, heart and round, hanging on a Christmas treeO'Scanlon Coat of Arms – Irish Family Crest Glass Ornament$24.99O'Scanlon Irish coat of arms acrylic ornament hanging on a Christmas treeO'Scanlon Coat of Arms – Irish Family Crest Ornament$19.99Scanlon Irish coat of arms glass ornaments, heart and round, hanging on a Christmas treeScanlon Coat of Arms – Irish Family Crest Glass Ornament$24.99Scanlon Irish coat of arms acrylic ornament hanging on a Christmas treeScanlon Coat of Arms – Irish Family Crest Ornament$19.99

Origin of the Scanlon name

Gaelic. Woulfe names several distinct families, as: (1) Sligo, representatives of the ancient Ó Scannail of Carbury; (2) Galway, a branch of the southern Ui Fiachrach, of the same stock as the O'Shaughnessys and O'Heynes; (3) Cork, formerly erenaghs of Cloyne; (4) Fermanagh, erenaghs of Devenish.[1]

  1. End of the 16th centuryName found in all Munster counties, specially Cork, Limerick and Kerry.[1]
  2. 1690'O SCANLAN' appears in Sir James Terry's list of Irish septs.[4]
  3. 189097 births under Scanlon, Scanlan and other spellings; chiefly Kerry, Clare, Sligo, Limerick, Cork.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. KerryFirst county named for Scanlon/Scanlan births in 1890; specially common there at the end of the 16th century.[3][1]
Co. ClareAmong the counties where Scanlon/Scanlan was principally found in 1890.[3]
Co. SligoÓ Scannláin of Sligo represent the ancient Ó Scannail family of Carbury.[1][2]
Co. LimerickSpecially common there at the end of the 16th century; a principal county in 1890.[1][3]
Co. CorkA Cork Ó Scannláin family were erenaghs of Cloyne; a principal county in 1890.[1][3]
Co. GalwayA Galway family, branch of the southern Ui Fiachrach (O'Shaughnessy and O'Heyne stock).[1]
Co. FermanaghA Fermanagh Ó Scannláin family were erenaghs of Devenish.[1]

Other spellings

Scanlan · O Scanlon · Scandlon · O Scanlaine[1][3]

The Scanlon coat of arms

The name appears as 'O SCANLAN' in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as printed by Matheson. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named Scanlon is entitled to a coat of arms.[4]

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

Scanlon surname: questions

What does the surname Scanlon mean?

Woulfe gives Ó Scannláin, 'descendant of Scannlán', a diminutive of Scannal.[1]

Is Scanlon or Scanlan the right spelling?

Both. Woulfe lists Scanlan, Scanlon and Scandlon among the anglicised forms of Ó Scannláin, and Matheson's 1890 index counted 54 Scanlon and 42 Scanlan births.[1][3]

Where in Ireland is the Scanlon name from?

Woulfe names separate Ó Scannláin families in Sligo, Galway, Cork and Fermanagh, and says the name is now common in Munster and Connacht. In 1890 it was found chiefly in Kerry, Clare, Sligo, Limerick and Cork.[1][3]

Is Scanlon related to Scannell?

Woulfe gives Scannell as a form of a different surname, Ó Scannail, a family originally seated in Carbury, north of Sligo town. He says that name, in the north-west of Ireland, 'has long been changed to the diminutive form Ó Scannláin', and that the Sligo Scanlons are the present-day representatives of the Ó Scannail of Carbury.[1][2]

Sources

  1. Ó Scannláin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/os/o-scannlain.php
  2. Ó Scannail — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/os/o-scannail.php
  3. Scanlon — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/scanlon.php
  4. List of Names of Irish Septs (Terry, 1690) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/irish-septs.php

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