Surname McKeohane - Meaning and Origin
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McKeohane: What does the surname McKeohane mean?
The last name McKeohane is an anglicized version of the Irish/Gaelic surname "Mac Eochaidh." This name is derived from the personal name Eochaidh, which is composed of the elements eoch meaning "horse," and adhar meaning "noble."" This name was popularized by an Irish clan, the Uí Eochaidh, who were grouped with the Cineál Binnigh, one of the four major tribes of Southern-Connacht.
The clans of the Uí Eochaidh are believed to have descended from Eochaidh, the great grandson of Míl Espáine, who was the legendary Spanish warrior who supposedly invaded and settled Ireland. The family is noted to have descended from the royal line of the Kingdom of Mide, a Gaelic Irish kingdom which extended through the high kings of Ireland. This means that the McKeohane were a significant family, with influence stretching across centuries of Irish history.
The McKeohane family were native to the southeastern region of Ireland, most likely in areas of County Meath and Dublin. As a result, they were located in close proximity to the Viking invasions, which may explain why the original name was anglicized into McKeohane. The name McKeohane went on to spread through immigration from Ireland to the United States, Canada, and other nations, and can today be found in a variety of countries around the world.
Order DNA origin analysisMcKeohane: Where does the name McKeohane come from?
The last name McKeohane is primarily found in Ireland and can be traced back to County Kerry in the south-west of the island. This Irish surname is derived from the ancient Gaelic of Mac Eochadha, which translates to ‘Son of Eochaidh’.
The McKeohane family is one of the great Irish Celtic tribes, and have been in Ireland for many centuries. Over the years the name has spread across the country and is now most commonly found in Munster, specifically in the counties of Cork, Kerry and Limerick. It is also found in Ulster, particularly in Donegal and Cavan.
The McKeohane name is also found in the United States and Canada. This is a result of waves of Irish immigrants leaving Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries. They brought the name with them to the shores of North America, and particularly New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago. Today it is most commonly found in the diaspora of Irish-American and Irish-Canadian immigrants.
In 2020, McKeohane is still most common in Ireland, but the widespread immigration of Irish people all over the world means that it can now be found in many other countries.
Variations of the surname McKeohane
The surname McKeohane is derived from the Irish surname Mac Eochaidh, which is a patronymic surname derived from the Gaelic name ‘Eochaidh’. The name Eochaidh was derived from a combination of the words ‘each’, meaning ‘horse’ and ‘cath’, meaning ‘battle’. This surname is typically Anglicized as McKeohane, McKehoe, McKehan, and McKeown.
In Ireland, the Gaelic form of the surname is ‘MacEochaidh’. In some cases the surname is translated as ‘son of Eochaidh’. Variations of McKeohane include MacKeohane and MacKeaghane.
Variants of the name outside of Ireland include Mackiehane, M'Keoghaney, McKaughan, McKaughen, MacAoghain, MacEgan, MacKeighen, MacKeaghen, McGaughan, and McKenney.
The surname McKeohane has been found in various locations throughout the world, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
In the United States, McKeohane is most commonly identified as a mostly Irish surname. In the United Kingdom, McKeohane is more widely associated with Northern Irish origin.
In Australia, the surname is more commonly found in the states of Victoria and New South Wales, while in Canada the surname is more commonly found in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario.
In New Zealand, the surname is most commonly associated with Irish origin. In some instances, people with the surname McKeohane have been said to have come to New Zealand from the Channel Islands.
The uncommon spelling forms of McKeohane include McKiehoon, McKiehane, McKiehaan, and McKiehain. These variants of the surname are often attributed to people who relocated from the Channel Islands to New Zealand in the 1800s.
Famous people with the name McKeohane
- John McKeohane: Irish international association footballplayer
- Joanna McKeon: award-winning theatre director and dramaturg from Australia
- Maureen McKeon: American civil rights activist
- Joe McKeon: professional lacrosse player for the Philadelphia Wings
- Patrick McKeon: Status of Forces Agreement attorney
- Matt McKeon: former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Ryan McKeown: GAA wing back from the North of Ireland
- Brendan McKeon: American soccer player
- Brendan McKeoghan: winner of the Canada Alive! Young Photographer's Award
- Sen. Dan McKeon: Member of the Pennsylvania State Senate