Surname McEogan - Meaning and Origin
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McEogan: What does the surname McEogan mean?
The last name McEogan is a surname of recent Irish and Scottish origin. The prefix "Mc" typically means "son of", meaning that the surname comes from a father's first name. It is believed that the origin of the surname McEogan comes from the Gaelic name O'Eoghain, which was a royal surname originating from the descendants of King Eoghan.
The Irish Gaelic form of the name is Oí Eochagáin, meaning "descendant of an early form of Eochaidh". Eochaidh was the ancient Irish high king of Tara in the mid-3rd century, and the name was given to his descendants. This means that those who bear the surname McEogan could very well be descended from the royal house of Tara.
The McEogan family have a long and varied history in both Scotland and Ireland. Many of them have gone on to become prominent political figures, esteemed military commanders, and respected academics. Today, McEogan is a proud and well-known name across both Scotland and Ireland, and beyond.
Order DNA origin analysisMcEogan: Where does the name McEogan come from?
The last name McEogan is of Irish origin and is found mainly in the United Kingdom and Ireland. There are other countries with populations of people with this last name, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.
The McEogan surname indicates an ancestral connection to County Donegal in Ireland. It is believed that the first bearer of this name was a descendent of a powerful chieftain who made his home in Donegal until the 13th century. The McEogans were part of the O'Donnell clan, a powerful tribe who dominated the northwest of Ireland for more than four hundred years.
Today, many McEogans still live in Ireland, including in Donegal and other parts of Ulster. There is a strong presence of the McEogan family in the Greater Belfast area.
In the United Kingdom, the McEogan surname can be found in the cities of London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff, and Edinburgh. The McEogan presence is also seen in Canada and Australia. It is estimated that there are more than 3,000 people with the McEogan surname living in the United States today.
Populations with the McEogan surname continue to grow in different parts of the world. It will be interesting to see how this last name continues to evolve over time.
Variations of the surname McEogan
The surname McEogan is of Irish origin and can also be seen spelt as MacEgan, MacEgane, MacEggan, MacEagain, MacEgeon, MacEagin, MacEggan, MacEggyne, MacEghan, MacEgham, MacEghin, MacEighthun, and MacEighen.
Variants can occur when a name changes over time as the result of a transcription error, a dialectal influence, or a change in spelling. The last name McEogan likely evolved from the Gaelic ‘Mac Eogain’ which means ‘son of Eogan’. The original Gaelic form of the name was most likely Mac Eóghain, meaning ‘son of Eóghan’. This personal name was created from two ancient Gaelic elements: ‘eo’ meaning ‘yew’ and ‘gan’ which means ‘born’.
The related surnames MacEggan, MacEagain and MacEgeon are believed to all be a variation of the Gaelic surname MacEogain, and may originally have been carried by a single family who separated generations ago.
This surname is thought to have originated in County Cork, where records show the family’s first known ancestor as a man named ‘Eghin,’ a 16th-century chieftain. From the 16th century onwards, the family had a presence in the area, and by 17th century records, the family had spread to other areas such as County Down and Dublin.
The McEogan surname is also associated with some spellings in Scotland as well. Scottish variants of the name include MacEgham, MacEghin, MacEighthun and MacEighen. All of these spellings are believed to have come from original Gaelic name, MacEogain.
As the surname has changed over time, many of these spellings may also be seen combined with more common surnames such as MacAllister, MacKenzie, Gunn, and Hunter.
Famous people with the name McEogan
- Sean McEogan:Chilean folk singer and songwriter
- John McEogan:Irish folk musician
- Steve McEogan:Gaelic football player
- Samantha McEogan:Australian journalist
- Edward McEogan:Northern Irish lawyer
- Pete McEogan:English rugby union player
- Kevan McEogan:American artist, sculptor and painter
- Neil McEogan:Scottish businessman
- Mary McEogan:English actress
- Bruce McEogan:Canadian actor