Surname McCoan - Meaning and Origin

McCoan: What does the surname McCoan mean?

The surname McCoan is thought to be of Scottish origin, although the exact origin is unclear. The name is believed to have derived from either one of two distinct sources: the Gaelic Mac Cogheain, meaning "son of Coghean", or the surname Mac Gille Chomgain, meaning "son of the servant of St Comghan".

The name Coghean is thought to derive from the old Irish word cogadh, meaning "bold" or "valorous". St. Comghan was the patron saint of the island of Lismore in the Scottish Highlands and was known to be a virtuous and wise man.

The McCoan clan originated from the Argyll area of Scotland. They were part of the ancestors of the Campbell Clan, and can be found in many records throughout Scotland from the 16th century onwards. The surname is mainly concentrated in the counties of Perth, Renfrew, Ayr, and Bute.

Today, McCoan is still a fairly common surname in Scotland, with the most famous bearer being Sir Michael Andrew McCoan, a decorated Scottish field Marshal in the British Army during World War One.

McCoan: Where does the name McCoan come from?

The surname McCoan is most commonly found today in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is to be found in areas historically associated with the two nations.

In Northern Ireland, the McCoan surname is quite common. It can be traced back to a number of Ulster Scots families in the counties of Tyrone and Antrim. The name likely originated from a family of Taylor septs based in County Tyrone, who also adopted the surname McCoag.

In Scotland, the surname is also quite common. Most Scottish McCoans can trace their roots to Aberdeenshire's MacEwen Clan or to the surname MacCuaig from the island of Islay.

In England, the surname is predominately found in Devon, Lancashire, Sussex, Worcestershire and Wiltshire. Despite the prevalence of the Mc surnames in common use today, records indicate that the McCoan surname was most likely of Irish or Scottish origin and likely found its way to England during the 19th century.

In Ireland, the surname is very common and can be found in almost all provinces. Families bearing this name can trace their roots to the Gaelic Mac Eoghainn, Mac Eochaidh, Mac Eoin and Mac Eughain families.

Overall, the surname McCoan is most commonly found in the United Kingdom and Ireland, although it can also be found in America and countries throughout the world with links to the two countries.

Variations of the surname McCoan

The surname McCoan is a variant of the Irish surname McCaughey. It is a variant spelling of the name MacCough or Mac Cough.

Other variants of McCoan or McCaughey are MacCogan, MacConghe, MacCaugh, McCogue, MacCongy, McCoo, McCouhan, MacCowan, McCowen, McCoken, McCogging, and McCogon.

MacCougher and McGaucher are variants based on the original spelling. MacGogue and MacGaughan are alternate spellings.

The name is sometimes spelled Cough or Coughey because of the lack of a capital C or O, respectively, in the original spelling.

McCoan and McCaughey are also seen as MacKoan, MacKaughy, MacKeon, MacKaigh, MacCoan, Mackowen, MacKoo, MacKoken, MacKogging, and MacKogon.

Most of the variants and surnames have the same origin, descended from the Irish sept of McGeoghegan. This sept had its roots in Counties Meath and Westmeath, though there are branches of the family in many other parts of Ireland.

The name first appeared in Irish records in the 13th century, though it has been present in Scotland since the 15th century.

Despite the wealth of alternate spellings, the variant and surnames all derive from the same origin and the heart of each name remains with the same meaning: the son of Cough or the son of the hound.

Famous people with the name McCoan

• Paul McCoan: Former Major League Baseball player, co-owner of the Texas Rangers and investor in the team’s home stadium.
• Jason McCoan: Actor, appearing in the film Snow Falling on Cedars.
• Daniel McCoan: Award winning Australian playwright, lyricist and actor.
• Sarah McCoan: Lead singer of The Australian Girls Choir.
• Robert McCoan: Award winning American historian and scholar.
• James McCoan: Philanthropist, entrepreneur and CEO of Gonaio Ventures.
• Shane McCoan: Olympic gold medalist in judo in 2004.
• Helen McCoan: English actress and humanitarian, best known for her stage and film performances.
• Alan McCoan: Former National Hockey League player, best known for fitting on the Toronto Maple Leafs roster in 1975.
• Suzanne McCoan: Award-winning Australian performance artist, author and her stylised take on delicate issues of faith, belonging and personal identity.
• Kyle Mc Coan: American mixed martial artist, competing in the UFC’s lightweight division.
• Elizabeth forward McCoan: Artist, writer and publisher who won the Newberry Medal for literature for her children's books series.
• Josephine McCoan: Jazz singer and pianist, performing for audiences around the world.
• Whitney McCoan: Professional race car driver, competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
• Mary Lou McCoan: Philanthropist and entrepreneur, founder of 2 charities focussed on education and youth services.

Other surnames

McCoadyMcCoard